A CONTRITE HEART!

 

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

 

A CONTRITE HEART!

 

Ps 34:18

18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

 

          The word “contrite” is found five times in our Bible and all of those times in the Old Testament. It is found twice in the Psalms and three times in the book of Isaiah. Four times the word is translated from the Hebrew word dakka (dak-kaw’) which means “crushed; literally powder.” Once, in Isaiah 66:2, it is translated from the Hebrew word nakeh which means “smitten, maimed, or dejected.”

 

          Too often I see what is declared to be repentance, but I do not see brokenness. I often hear how sin happened or why sin happened, but I rarely see one broken because sin happened. I am urged to sympathize with the sinner because of the circumstances that caused the sin. I am to blame the circumstance and, therefore, exonerate the sinner. He is not guilty, you see, it is the horrible set of circumstances that caused the sin.

 

          If revival is to come, contrition, brokenness, must come first. God wants to break us like a hammer breaks ore so that the gold inside might be beaten out. We are reminded of Jer 23:29 which says: “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” The broken heart, and the contrite spirit, are two essential characteristics of true repentance.

 

Ps 139:23-24

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

 

Dear Lord, let me not excuse myself by focusing on the circumstances that caused my sin. Let me be crushed to powder and wounded in spirit because of my sin. Let me run into your waiting arms. AMEN

PITHY WORDS

 

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

 

PITHY WORDS

 

1 Cor 2:3-5

3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

 

Col 2:4

4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile [PARALOGIZOMAI, “to misreckon; to deceive.”]  you with enticing words.

 

          It is interesting to note that enticing words is based on the Greek word peithos which literally means “persuasive.” In both places where it is found, it is used in a bad sense. In Colossians, the word is pithanalogia.

 

          Our English word “pithy” is an adjective and means “concise and forcefully expressive” language. It is easy to see that this kind of language could be used for either good or bad influence. Perhaps you have been the victim of what we sometimes call a “smooth talker.” If so, there were times when you were intrigued and other times when you were sure you were being lied to. Yes, that is the bad way to use pithy language.

 

          When we tell others how Jesus changed our lives there is a need for both concise and simple language. Tell your story simply but passionately. Tell who and what you were before Christ then explain who you have become since. Personal testimony is exactly that, it is personal. Your story is no one else’s story. That makes it powerfully persuasive even if it is expressed with child-like language.

 

John 9:24-27

24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.

25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?

27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?

 

Lord, Jesus, let me tell my story not as a theologian but as a rescued sinner. AMEN

 

NOT ANOTHER!

 

Monday, August 21, 2023

 

NOT ANOTHER!

 

Gal 1:6-8

¶ 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

 

          Kenneth A. Briggs is the author of “The Invisible Bestseller” published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. In an article in the Charlotte Observer, he says that the Bible is disappearing from American Christianity and is being replaced with a stylized alternative – especially in the so-called “mega” churches. He says: “In the mega-type churches – those churches were really heavily loaded with the visual and the audio and the rest of the electronic stuff, the music – I was really stunned by what I saw as an alternative version of Christianity being delivered by those means.”

 

          Paul warned the Galatians of the possibility that some would try to pervert the gospel message. The word “pervert” is found only three times in the New Testament and is the interesting Greek word metastrepho which means “to turn across or to change into an opposite character.” In our medical language, cancer sometimes metastasizes. This word is also of Greek origin and refers to the changing of location and character of certain cancers. I find that very interesting indeed.

 

          In our attempt to make the gospel message more palatable, we must be careful not to make it “another” gospel – which is not another at all. Warren Wiersbe said: “We must never forget that the Christian life is a living relationship with God through Jesus Christ. A man does not become a Christian merely by agreeing to a set of doctrines; he becomes a Christian by submitting to Christ and trusting Him.”

 

          Paul’s use of the word “accursed” is the strongest possible cursing. I dare not print the American language equivalent! Martin Luther said of this word:  "he casteth out very flames of fire, and his zeal is so fervent, that he beginneth almost to curse the angels." This was serious business.

 

The approval or disapproval of men did not move Paul. "Therefore, also we have as our ambition ... to be pleasing to Him" (2 Cor 5:9, NASB). Paul wanted the approval of Christ.

 

Dear Lord, let me always measure my Christianity by Thy Word! Let my great ambition be to please Thee. AMEN