"The LORD Is Near To Those Who Have A Broken Heart."

Broken people! 

(Don Fortner)

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"The LORD is near to those who 

have a broken heart, and saves 

such as have a contrite spirit." 

Psalm 34:18

A broken heart, a contrite spirit, 

and a subdued will are rare things, 

especially in this age in which men 

everywhere are taught to demand 

their rights; and the church has 

become a place where man is exalted 

and enshrined as though he were GOD. 

Self-esteem, self-worth, and self-

promotion are the cry of the day. 

Every man does that which is right 

in his own eyes. All men by nature 

are exceedingly proud, selfish people.

Preachers today, knowing man's 

natural pride, have capitalized 

upon it. They have developed 

a flesh-pleasing theology of pride. 

Our forefathers exalted the dignity, 

the majesty, and the supremacy 

of the eternal GOD. But the smooth-

tongued preachers of deceit in our 

day have set themselves to exalt 

the dignity, majesty, and supremacy 

of puny man! 

It seems that religion today 

is dedicated not to the honor 

of GOD, but to the honor of man. 

Its purpose is to make man feel 

good about himself. 

Therefore we hear little about . . .

  brokenness of heart,
  contrition of the soul, and
  the subduing of man's will.

The LORD GOD declares, 

"To this man will I look, even 

to him that is poor and of a 

contrite spirit, and trembles 

at MY Word!" (Isaiah 66:2). 

GOD will have broken hearts with 

which to build HIS kingdom. Sooner 

or later, the LORD GOD will bring 

us to nothingness before HIS 

presence. GOD'S people, all 

of GOD'S people are a 

broken people.

No man has ever experienced 

the grace of GOD in salvation, 

until his heart is thoroughly 

broken before the holy LORD 

GOD, revealed in the crucified 

SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST. 

If ever a man finds out:
  who he is,
  who GOD is,
  who the LORD JESUS CHRIST is,
  and what HE has done for sinners--

he will be a broken man!

When Job saw himself in 

the presence of his three 

miserable friends, he 

vindicated himself. But when 

he stood in the presence of GOD, 

he was a broken man; and he 

spoke as a broken man. 

HE saw himself in all 

the hideousness of his sin; 

and he saw GOD in all the holiness 

of HIS glorious majesty. Then he said, 

"Behold I am vile! I have heard 

of YOU by the hearing of the ear; 

but now my eye sees YOU. Therefore 

I abhor myself, and repent in dust 

and ashes!" (Job 42:5,6)

There is no pride and egotism here, 

no haughtiness, no self-vindication. 

Once Job had seen the LORD--

he was broken, he loathed himself 

and blamed himself. 

Once Job saw the LORD--

he honored GOD and vindicated HIM. 

The truly broken heart will always 

vindicate GOD, no matter the cost.

This brokenness can be produced in 

proud, stubborn, sinful men and women--

only by the saving revelation of CHRIST 

in our hearts. 

Brokenness is found at the cross--

only at the cross. Have you been 

to the cross? Have you had 

the crucified CHRIST revealed 

in your heart? Has your heart 

been broken by the knowledge 

of the LORD? O LORD, evermore 

break our hearts before YOU!

"The sacrifices of GOD are a 

broken spirit; a broken and 

a contrite heart, O GOD, YOU 

will not despise." Psalm 51:17

   ~  ~  ~  ~

Gardiner Spring, "The Distinguishing Traits of Christian Character"
Chapter 6. STRONG ASSURANCE