Brokenhearted – Praying Pint

30.p. “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

Matthew 5:2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Job 42:6  therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

Psalms 34:18    The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Proverbs 16:19    It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Psalms 51:17    The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Isaiah 66:2   All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

Proverbs 29:23   One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

James 2:5   Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?

Jesus had been teaching and healing every disease and demon possession. There were multitudes following Him and he goes up onto a mountain, sits down, the disciples come, and begins to teach them. We know this first part of the teaching to be the beatitudes. Someone has said that it is more like “Be – Attitudes” the attitudes every believer should “be.” It has been said if you took all the good advice for how to live ever uttered by any philosopher or psychiatrist or counselor, took out the foolishness and boiled it all down to the real essentials, you would be left with a poor imitation of this great message by Jesus. It expresses the spiritual implications of the rule of Jesus in our lives and tells us how we will live when Jesus is our Lord. All of these character traits are marks and goals of all Christians. It is not as if we can major in one to the exclusion of others. Blessings which have its secret within itself, that joy which is serene and untouchable, and self-contained, that joy which is completely independent of all the chances and changes of life.” (Barclay) “Note, also, with delight, that the blessing is in every case in the present tense, a happiness to be now enjoyed and delighted in. It is not ‘Blessed shall be,’ but ‘Blessed are.’” (Spurgeon)

The poor in spirit recognize that they have no spiritual “assets.” They know they are spiritually bankrupt. “Not what I have, but what I have not, is the first point of contact, between my soul and God.” The call to be poor in spirit is placed first for a reason, because it puts the following commands into perspective. They cannot be fulfilled by one’s own strength, but only by a beggar’s reliance on God’s power. No one mourns until they are poor in spirit; no one is meek towards others until he has a humble view of himself. If you don’t sense your own need and poverty, you will never hunger and thirst after righteousness; and if you have too high a view of yourself, you will find it difficult to be in need of salvation through Jesus Christ. If we were to be able to examine our souls in light of the holiness of God we would find our hearts so far removed from God that our only true response would be an attitude poor in spirit. We would see the huge difference and no possible means to gain it. We would be left void of any self-reliance and worth. All of our earthly treasures would vanish away in meaningless vapors. It is when we come to this “poor in spirit” in our lives that we begin to understand the mystery of salvation and the need for redemption.

16.h. “And the truth will set you free.”

John 8:31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.

Isaiah 61:1   The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Romans 8:15     For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Galatians 5:13    For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

2 Timothy 2:25-26     correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth  and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

James 1:25     But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

1 Peter 2:16    Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

Jesus was speaking to those who believed Him. There is a difference between believing Him and believing in Him. Those who believe in Him will abide in His word. Those who believe Him will not, or they may pick and choose what they want to abide in. Clearly, they were inclined to think what Jesus was saying was true. But they were not prepared or willing to yield that belief into trust and reliance. Abiding in His Word means “Welcoming it, being at home with it, and living with it so continuously that it becomes part of the believer’s life, a permanent influence and stimulus in every fresh advance in goodness and holiness.”

Abiding in His Word will open our hearts and minds to the truth. It is this truth that sets us free. There is nothing like the freedom we can have in Jesus. No money can buy it, no status can obtain it, no works can earn it, and nothing can match it. It is tragic that not every Christian experiences this freedom, which can never be found except by abiding in God’s word and being Jesus’ disciple. There is freedom from worry, hate, anger, fear, greed, jealousy, envy, pride, self-reliance, and the want to sin. But in order to experience this “Freedom”, there must be an intentional choice to die to self and its sinful nature and live for Christ. In this complete surrender and yielding, we will find a mysterious freedom that seeks and desires to know, do, trust, and rejoice in the will of God.

“Where is their God?”

Psalms 115:2 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”

Psalms 42:3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”

Exodus 32:12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people.

Numbers 14:15-16 Now if you kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say, ‘It is because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to give to them that he has killed them in the wilderness.’

2 Kings 19:10-19 “Thus shall you speak to Hezekiah king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, devoting them to destruction. And shall you be delivered? Have the gods of the nations delivered them, the nations that my fathers destroyed, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar? Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, the king of Hena, or the king of Ivvah?’” Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD and spread it before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD and said: “O LORD, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. So now, O LORD our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O LORD, are God alone.”

People on the sidelines mock and challenge God. They look for reasons to prove He does not exist or able or capable to intercede in the affairs of man. Those who’s hear, mind, and soul desire to know, honor, serve, follow and obey, continually see the hand of God at work in their lives. He speaks into their life. He guides their thoughts and leads them through a journey of faith filled action. Our strength is in the LORD. He is my Hope and my salvation. He alone is God and is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine. Through His word we find peace and encouragement for each day.

Anointed me to bring Good News

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;”

“and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”

“And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers,”

John 1:35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter)

2 Kings 7:9 Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king’s household.”

1 John 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

The verses that stands out today are “He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” and as well “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news.” both speak of the urgency people had to tell others things of God. How are people to hear of this Good News if we do not speak of it? When we do speak of this Good News others are changed. Do not lose sight of our urgent calling to proclaim the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Heals the brokenhearted

“Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.”

“And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.”

“who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,”

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

Malachi 4:2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts. “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

Psalms 85:9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.

Isaiah 66:1 Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

Jeremiah 17:14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.

Hosea 6:1 “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.

Jeremiah 33:6 Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security.

We serve this God – “All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” This is the God who’s hands have made and by which all things came to be. God seeks those with a humble and contrite heart. To these there are many blessings and promises given. It seems like today we have so much information at our finger tips that we lose sight of God and trust rather in what we find on a google search. Remember to put Him first and seek His guidance and direction. Yes He surely can direct and lead us through all of our decisions, trials and troubles. He is the mighty awesome powerful creator.

Not Crushed

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,”

“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed”

Psalms 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.

Psalms 34:17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Isaiah 65:24 Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.

Acts 12:5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

Hebrews 11:33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. God is ever present in the lives of those who seek Him. He hears their cry for help. He heals their broken heart. He delivers them out of their troubles. Know how much God loves us and how much He wants to direct our path and how His path is perfect for us, why do we keep Him at arms length. Why do we keep our focus on only what we can see in this world? Why is our heart, eyes and ears so easily turned away from God? If His word is not present in our lives everyday it is easy to lose connection. It is like having a new puppy that every shinny thing captures it’s attention. We seem to find the shinny things of our busy lives more important than the peace, rest, joy, hope, love, strength, and power of God. Spend time in His word today for 5 minutes. Spend 5 more minutes thinking about what you just read. I think you will find that God will call these into your mind through out the day as your focus turns from temporary to that which is eternal.

Troubled Heart

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Psalms 30:2 O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

Psalms 6:2 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled.

Psalms 51:8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

Psalms 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Psalms 118:18 The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

Psalms 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Exodus 15:26 saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer.”

2 Kings 20:5 “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD,

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord

Throughout our life we will encounter many different trials and go through many uncomfortable circumstances. Think back and look at your life. I read something once that said look at all of those “Worst Days of your Life” and know that you have survived them all!!! Do we think for a minute that God was not in control or have our best interest in mind for His honor and glory? We are human and like David, while in these times of troubles we have questions, concerns, worries, anxious thoughts, doubts, and sleepless nights. David cried out to God with all of these and after doing so he came to a place of proclaiming God’s promises. Whatever you are going through God is much bigger than it. He is more powerful that it. He is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine. So how do we find peace in and through these times? Trust in, cling to, rely on, and wait for God. He has given us great and precious promises so that by them our faith and hope maybe found complete trusting in His sovereignty, power, strength and steadfast love.

Why Do We Refuse

yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life

How often do we stay outside the safety of our Lord and savior? How many times are we not willing to listen? How many times has He called to our heart and we refuse? I think if we search our heart we are often listening to the wrong voice. Our input is not from scripture but rather from what we think we know or have heard. Isn’t it time to come to Him with purpose to live out all the days we have left this side of eternity honoring and glorifying Him? What does this world have to offer but broken dreams, unfulfilling work, and short term satisfaction? Do you want to have purpose – reach out to Him and commit your heart, soul and mind to Him. Willing to be used by Him. Willing to hear. Willing to follow, Willing to obey. No one has ever said was too close to Jesus but many have said I wish I would have listened sooner for my life would have had much more meaning.

Matthew 23:37
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate

Psalms 147:2
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds

Proverbs 1:24
Because I have called and you refused to listen,
have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
I also will laugh at your calamity

John 5:38
You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life

The Blind, Deaf, and Mute

Can you imagine what it would be like to be blind and then be able to see? or deaf and able to hear? or mute and able to speak? The joy and thankfulness you would have could not be explained in words. Imagine if you were the friend or brother or parents of one of these and you saw the miracle happen. The thankfulness you would have and how you would not be able to stop talking about it. You might even tell others with great belief they too could have healing. How thankful would you be if you were saved from eternity in hell, or if you were given peace, joy, love, hope…..Wouldn’t you want to tell others about gospel????

Matthew 11:4
And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me

Isaiah 35:5
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the mute sing for joy

Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted