Thoughts for Life: Broken to Be Made New

Dennis Fisher: During World War II my dad served with the US Army in the South Pacific.

During that time Dad rejected any idea of religion, saying, "I don't need a crutch."

Yet the day came when his attitude toward spiritual things would change forever.
(Google image, Crutches)

Mom had gone into labor with their third child, and my brother and I went to bed with the excitement of soon seeing our new brother or sister.

When I got out of bed the next morning, I excitedly asked Dad, "Is it a boy or a girl?" He replied, "It was a little girl but she was born dead." We began to weep together at our loss.

For the first time, Dad took his broken heart to Jesus in prayer. At that moment he felt an overwhelming sense of peace and comfort from God, though his daughter would always be irreplaceable.

Soon he began to take an interest in the Bible and continued to pray to the One who was healing his broken heart. His faith grew through the years.

He became a strong follower of Jesus—serving Him as a Bible-study teacher and a leader in his church.

Jesus is not a crutch for the weak. He is the source of new spiritual life! When we're broken, He can make us new and whole" (Ps. 119:75). Dennis Fisher

"What is on your heart that you need to talk with God about? Bring him your brokenness and ask Him to make you whole.

Brokenness can lead to wholeness."

ODB 6/6/16

Let's pray-

Father, it is our desire that You

help us bring our petitions to you

with brokenness and in earnest.
May we become humble, so we'll see our need and allow You to make us whole.
Help us come to You in a child-like manner, and to believe You are there for us. It's true You love us enough to make changes in us for our own good, and which bring glory to Your name.
I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Today’s Bible verse-

(Is. 44:3 KJV) "For I will pour water upon him
that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground:
I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my
blessing upon thine offspring."

Today’s quote-

Ernie Miller- "Sisters and brothers . . . know this . . . you matter to the Lord . . . each of you.
He alone thought of the glory to come enduring the cross . . . despising the shame . . .
and the glory to come ??
Each of you . . . redeemed and restored . . . made alive unto your God . Each of you are Christ's gift to the father . . . and oh how He cherishes the gifts from His beloved!!
You are precious to our Lord . He is ever with you and will never forsake you . . . rejoice!
You belong to the King."

"The real tragedy is the child of God who has come to Christ but has never tapped into what it means to 'abide' to experience a resurrection power that heals places of shame.

Many, including myself for a few decades, lived in the bitter place of regret. I numbed my pain with service to God, hoping to lessen my guilt. This proved futile and led to an emotional crash in my forties.

Every now and then, I have to stop everything and look honestly at how my sin has shaped me. Sin slaughters hope. Forgiveness resuscitates it. Is there something I've done that still causes me to shrink and live small?

As a fly feeds on rotting flesh, Satan feeds on guilt and shame. He'll parade my past before my eyes continually if I let him. Every memory where my body still slumps as it remembers needs to be impacted again by the good news of God's unfathomable mercy.

You never intended for your children to live in the shadows of regret. The tears of repentance are meant to lead me to the joy of forgiveness and a new beginning. I don't want to wince as I remember. In Jesus name, Amen"

Upcoming posts-

Unfailing

7/3- Sunday evening's post by Lisa Buffaloe

Our Father Listens

10th- Sunday evening's post by Susan Ferguson

Are You Bitter?

17th- Sunday's post by Jean Oathout

Pray Without Ceasing

24th- Sunday evening's post by Germine Copeland

A popular post-

Broken but Beautiful