Is Your Heart Broken?

[0:00] Amen. We want to give honor to our founding pastor, Pastor Donna. Will you give it up for the woman of God? Amen. We love her so much. So grateful for her.

[0:12] Amen. If you have your Bibles, I want you to turn with me to Psalm 34. Psalm 34, starting at verse 17. Psalm 34, verse 17.

[0:24] For the next few moments of time, I want to deliver to you a message simply entitled Broken Hearts. Broken Hearts. I would dare say that the overwhelming majority of us have experienced some sort of heartbreak before, right?

[0:45] The overwhelming majority of us in this room have experienced some sort of heartbreak in our lives. Maybe it was the breakup of a relationship that left you feeling lonely, disconnected, or rejected.

[1:00] Maybe it was the death of a loved one that left your heart wrenched. Maybe even losing a job that you oh so love, that left a void in your life that feels like a gaping hole that you will never ever climb out of.

[1:17] This term and this phrase, broken heart, it is used in reference to a state of extreme grief or sorrow.

[1:29] Typically caused by the death of a loved one or the ending of some romantic or platonic relationship. How many knows what I'm talking about this morning? How many of you have experienced some type of heartbreak in your life?

[1:42] Some of you, I believe today, are right there in that season of your life. You see, any loss in your life can fuel feelings of grief.

[1:53] And grief is a powerful emotion. One that can even make you physically sick. How many knows what I'm talking about?

[2:04] You see, there is an actual medical condition known as broken heart syndrome. You ever heard of that? Also known as stress cardiomyopathy.

[2:18] This occurs when a person experiences sudden acute stress that can rapidly weaken the heart muscle. Most of the time, this condition occurs following severe emotional or physical distress.

[2:36] And so that brings us to our text scripture today. Again, in Psalm 34, starting in verse 17. This is a psalm written by none other than the psalmist David. And this is what he wrote.

[2:50] The righteous cry out and the Lord hears. How long has it been since you cried out to the Lord? Come on. I said, how long has it been since you had carpet time with the Lord?

[3:03] You lay prostrate before the presence of a holy God. Crying out that God would intervene on your behalf. That God would move on your behalf. Let me tell you today, I don't care what the enemy is screaming in your ear.

[3:16] God has heard your cries. He has heard your petitions today. The Bible says the righteous cry out and the Lord hears. And he delivers them out of all of their troubles.

[3:30] Somebody say all of their troubles. He delivers us. Look at this. Verse 18. The Lord is near. Who is he near to?

[3:41] He's near to those who have what? A broken heart. I'm talking about broken hearts today. The psalmist David declared that the Lord is near.

[3:52] He is close to those who have a broken heart. And save such as have a contrite or a crushed spirit.

[4:05] Verse 19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

[4:17] Many are the afflictions of the who? Of the righteous. But the Lord delivers them from them all.

[4:28] You see this false gospel in the land today that would try to tell you that, you know, once you give your heart and your life to Christ, that is easygoing, that is smooth sailing, that is trouble free.

[4:41] Let me tell you, that's another gospel. And it's not the gospel of Jesus Christ. But I have found it to be quite the contrary, that when you really sell out and you dedicate your heart and your life to the kingdom of God, to the Lord Jesus Christ, that all of a sudden you begin to go against the tide of secular culture and society.

[5:03] You begin to go against the tide and the dictates of the kingdom of darkness. And all of a sudden you become on the most wanted list of the devil himself. Amen.

[5:13] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. I like the way the message translation reads this same passage of scripture in Psalm 34.

[5:30] It says it like this. Is anyone crying for help? God is listening and he is ready to rescue you. Look at this. If your heart is broken, you'll find God right there.

[5:44] Where is God? Where is God? Where is God? He is with those who have a broken heart. If your heart is broken, you will find God right there. If you're kicked in the guts, he'll help you catch your breath.

[5:58] Disciples so often get into trouble. Still, God is there every time. If you don't hear anything else that I say today, hear this statement.

[6:10] Brokenness attracts the attention of God. Did you hear what I said? I said brokenness attracts the attention of God.

[6:26] You see, the psalmist King David is an example of this truth. He was one of the greatest kings to have ever lived. Victorious, conqueror.

[6:37] He was a man after God's own heart, yet he failed so miserably. When he should have been at battle, he decided to stay home.

[6:49] Remember the story? And as a result, he gave way to the lustful desires of his carnal flesh. And he committed adultery with a woman by the name of Bathsheba.

[7:02] And therefore impregnated her. Then to cover his sin up, he tried to manipulate her husband. By pulling him off the front lines of the battle for the purpose of sending him home in hopes that he would lay with his wife.

[7:22] When that plan failed, King David had her husband murdered. I said he was a man after God's own heart. One of the greatest kings to ever walk this earth.

[7:35] Conqueror, victorious. But yet this man after God's own heart failed God miserably. Committed adultery. Pregnated the woman.

[7:47] Had the woman's husband murdered to cover up his sin. But the story doesn't end there, does it? The prophet Nathan then comes to King David and confronts him by revealing to him everything that he has done.

[8:03] So David had a choice. Is he going to get lifted up in pride and reject the words of correction from the prophet? Or is he going to humble himself with a broken heart and repent of his sin?

[8:17] Well, guess what? David chose the latter part. And we find this account in Psalm 51. One of my favorite psalms in the entirety of the book of Psalms.

[8:29] To where David, who is heartbroken because of his sin, because of his calamity, because of his rebellion, his ignorance. And he cries out to God.

[8:41] You know it. Create in me a clean heart. Oh God. Renew within me a right spirit. Take not thy Holy Spirit from me.

[8:54] You remember that? Cast me not away from thy presence. And then going down to verse 16 in Psalm 51, this is what he cried out. He said, for you do not desire sacrifice or else I would give it.

[9:10] You do not delight in burnt offering. Well, look at what he said. He said, the sacrifices of God are what? But a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart.

[9:24] These, oh God, you will not despise. Again, I like the way the message translation reads this same passage. It says, going through the motions doesn't please you.

[9:36] A flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God worship when my pride was shattered. Heart shattered lives ready for love.

[9:49] Don't for a moment escape God's notice. I want to reiterate to you that brokenness attracts the attention of God.

[10:02] David said, God, you will not despise my broken hearts. But it will get your attention. You see, God is the only one who can take that which is broken and make something beautiful out of it.

[10:16] Did you hear what I said? I said, God is the only one that can take that which is broken and make something beautiful out of it. Let's look at two accounts in the New Testament that exemplifies this truth.

[10:33] Is that all right? The gospel of Matthew chapter 15. Turn with me there very quickly. Starting in verse 32. Matthew chapter 15 and verse 32.

[10:50] I'm going to be very brief this morning. We're about to open these altars back up because I know there's some people today who are broken hearted. And I'm telling you, the one who can heal your broken heart is in this room today.

[11:04] I said he's in this room today. Matthew 15 verse 32. It says this. Now Jesus called his disciples to himself. And he said this.

[11:15] I have compassion on the multitude. Because they have now continued with me three days and they have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry lest they faint on their way.

[11:29] Then his disciples said to him, where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude? Jesus said to them, how many loaves of bread do you have?

[11:41] And they said seven. And we also have a few little fish. So he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And Jesus took the seven loaves and the fish and he gave thanks.

[11:55] Look at what he did to them. He broke them. And then he gave them to the disciples. And then the disciples gave the broken fragments of the bread and the fish to the vast multitudes.

[12:10] So they all ate. And they were filled. And they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left. Now those who ate were how many?

[12:23] Four thousand men. Besides women and children. And he sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala. You're talking about a miracle.

[12:35] Over four thousand people had gathered on that day. Hungry. They had been hearing the teachings of the kingdom of God by none other than Jesus himself.

[12:47] And now they're hungry. They need something to eat. Jesus identifies their problem. But all that Jesus and the disciples have, according to the scriptures, is seven loaves of bread and a few fish.

[12:59] How in the world are they going to feed well over four thousand people with seven loaves of bread and a few fish? They needed a miracle.

[13:11] And the Bible says Jesus took the seven loaves. He took the few fish. And the Bible says he broke them. He broke them.

[13:21] And then he got the disciples to disperse them all throughout that over four thousand people. And everyone was fed. And everyone had become full because of the food that was given to them.

[13:36] You're talking about a miracle. There was a miracle that took place. What am I saying to you today? That out of your brokenness will come a ministry.

[13:52] Did you hear what I said? I'm talking about broken people. I'm talking about broken hearts. Some of you, you are here today. You are broken. You are in a broken season of your life.

[14:05] You're wondering where this God is at. You're wondering why he does it for other people. But he doesn't do it for you. You have bought into the lies and the deception and the manipulation of the adversary of your soul.

[14:19] And you have questioned even the mere existence of God. You're broken hearted. Let me tell you today, this is a setup.

[14:30] Because out of your brokenness will come a ministry. What am I talking about today? God is going to use the very thing that broke you.

[14:41] He's going to use the very situation that broke your hearts. He's going to use the situation where people that you thought would never leave you, they left you.

[14:53] They abandoned you. They stabbed you in the back. But let me tell you, God said I'm going to use it. And out of that brokenness, there is going to come a supernatural ministry that's going to touch multitudes for my glory.

[15:09] Hey! I said out of your brokenness will come a ministry. You see, God uses everything.

[15:20] Every detail. Every intricate detail in our lives. He's going to use it. Not only for your good, but He's going to use it for His glory.

[15:31] You say, how in the world can God use the things that happened to me? The things that I'm ashamed to even mention. The things that I haven't told anybody else. How in the world can God use those evil, dark things for my good and for His glory?

[15:48] Sit back and watch Him do it. He did it for so many men and women all throughout the scriptures. And He has no respect to a person. What He did for them, He'll do it for you.

[15:59] He's going to use your brokenness as a ministry. Because you see, if you never went through that broken season, you wouldn't know how to minister to anyone else who is going through the same predicament as you are.

[16:14] See, I'm talking to some divorcees today. Huh? People that the church have cut off. Well, if you've been divorced, don't you know, pastor, you can't use them.

[16:26] They can't stand on the stage. They can't stand in a pulpit. You know, if you have more than one spouse, hogwash. Hogwash. Let me tell you, if God can forgive you of your life of adultery and fornication, who are you to think God can't use the divorcee?

[16:44] Huh? Nobody's talking about your sin. Why are you camping out on other people's sins? I said, if you didn't go through it, it's unfortunate that you went through it.

[16:56] But God is going to take that broken season of your life. And now you're going to be able to minister to another husband, to another wife, who's going through the same hell that you went through.

[17:08] Do you think I can effectively minister to someone who's going through divorce when I've never went through a divorce? Absolutely not.

[17:19] But those of you who have went through that dark, lonely, isolated season in your life, God said, I want to use that season of brokenness for you to bring healing to somebody else that's going through it.

[17:34] Some of you today, you've been delivered from substance abuse, alcohol, drugs, all sorts of things in your life. All of these addictions in your life. Let me tell you, nothing is wasted in the presence and the sight of God.

[17:46] God said, I'm going to use those broken areas of your life and I'm going to raise you up to be a conduit of my healing and my deliverance. Somebody's going to come across your path that's struggling with the same addictions that you've been struggling with.

[18:01] And you're going to be able to look them right in the face and say, I know a God who is able to deliver, who is able to heal. I said, out of your brokenness will come a ministry.

[18:22] Huh? I said, nothing is wasted in the sight of God. You see, God will not waste anything that has happened to you. He will take all of the mess, the chaos, the hurts, and the pain, and He will make something absolutely beautiful out of it.

[18:44] Notice at the end of the account in Matthew 15 that after Jesus broke the fish, He broke the bread. He had them to distribute to over the 4,000 people.

[18:57] Everyone had enough to eat. They were full. Guess what? The Bible says there were still seven large baskets full of bread and fish. What am I saying to you?

[19:09] They didn't waste it. Jesus said, bring it on back up here. We're not wasting one ounce of this bread or this fish. What am I saying to you today? Everything that has ever happened to you, every injustice, every offense, everything that has ever happened in your life, God said, I will not waste it, but I will use it for your good and I will use it for my glory.

[19:35] I said, out of your brokenness will come a ministry. A ministry that will not only bring provision to you, but that will bring provision to other people.

[19:45] That's what ministry is all about. It's not about your name in the spotlight. It's not about you making something for yourself. It's not about you building your own kingdom.

[19:56] Ministry is about people. What we do here at Set Free Church, it's about people. It's about reaching the harvest. It's about seeing somebody else bow their knee to the Lord Jesus Christ.

[20:09] I said, out of our brokenness will come a ministry. Out of your brokenness, listen to this, will come the miraculous. Did you hear what I said?

[20:21] When Jesus broke the fish and he broke the bread, a supernatural and divine miracle took place. It was supernaturally multiplied.

[20:32] I said, out of your brokenness will not just come a ministry, but out of your brokenness will come the miraculous. And out of your brokenness will come multiplication. Multiplication.

[20:44] You see, the things that happened in your life that broke you, that broke your spirit, that broke your emotions, that broke your heart, that made you feel like you're valueless, that you're not worthy enough, that made you feel that everybody's out to get you, that made you be imprisoned to a victim mentality in your life.

[21:04] God said that out of that broken place is going to flow my miraculous power. It's going to flow the spirit of multiplication. Let me tell you, because a few fish and a few loaves of bread were broken by the hands of Jesus Christ himself, it fed multitudes of people.

[21:23] What am I telling you today? That out of that broken place of your life, out of that broken heart, out of that broken spirit, it is going to come the strength of God.

[21:35] There is going to come the miraculous supernatural power of God, for his word says that my strength is made perfect in your weakness.

[21:45] Yes. But you see, everybody wants to hide their weakness. Huh? I said everybody wants to hide their weakness.

[21:57] You see, we're no longer transparent to one another, Melissa. We want to walk up into the house of God and we want to act like we got all of our junk together. We put on our religious mask.

[22:11] Oh, God bless you, sister. God bless you, brother. This is a day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. You know our church lingo. We're full of it.

[22:22] We're full of ourselves. And dare, dare, dare anybody find out, brother Donnie, what I'm really going through, what I'm really struggling with, what my addiction, what my weakness is.

[22:34] Let me tell you, it's time that we take the mask off. Because I promise you, although your weakness may not be my weakness, I've got weaknesses too. Although your sin of choice may not be my sin of choice, I promise you there's things that I'm struggling with right here, right now, today.

[22:51] And let me tell you, outside of the grace of God, we're all bound to a devil's hell. But because God said it's only begotten sign that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but shall have everlasting life.

[23:06] I'm talking about a God who loves the unlovable. I'm talking about a God who will not walk out on you. He's a keeping God. He's a faithful God. And because that's who he is, you don't have to hide your scars.

[23:22] You don't have to hide your weaknesses. Because he said my strength is made perfect in your weakness. I'm talking about broken hearts today.

[23:40] Broken hearts. Let's look at another account in Luke chapter 7. For the sake of time, we're not going to read the entire passage, but let me give you a brief synopsis of what is happening.

[23:59] Luke chapter 7, starting in verse 36, reading down to verse 50. Very familiar story. In this account, Jesus was invited into the house of a Pharisee.

[24:16] Believe it or not. One of the religious hierarchies, leaders of the religious world of that day. Jesus was invited into his house.

[24:30] So Jesus made his way. He came into his house. He began to get comfortable in the house of this Pharisee. And the Bible says there was a sinner woman. Most people associate this woman's sins with prostitution.

[24:43] This prostitute, this sinner woman, made her way into this same house where Jesus and the Pharisee and all the others had gathered together. And the Bible says that this sinner woman had a alabaster box.

[24:57] Remember the story? And in this box was a valuable, expensive oil and perfume. I'm going somewhere with this.

[25:09] In this box was a valuable, expensive oil of perfume. And this woman who was wrapped up in all sorts of ungodliness.

[25:21] All sorts of wickedness. All sorts of evilness in her life because of the things that she was associated with. The things that she had done. The people she had been with.

[25:32] The places that she had went. But she knew there was this man named Jesus in this house. She made her way into it. Carrying with her this alabaster box. Full of this costly perfume of oil.

[25:45] And the Bible says that she made her way to Jesus. And as she made her way, she began to weep. Why? Because she had a broken heart. Men had used her and abused her and left her broken.

[25:59] Left her empty. Left her feeling void. Of no value. No self-esteem. So in her brokenness, she made her way to Jesus. You see where we get it wrong oftentimes?

[26:10] That when we get broken. Besides turning to the one who can heal our brokenness. We turn to all so many other things. Besides turning to the one who can heal our broken heart.

[26:21] We turn to alcohol. We turn to drugs. We turn to broken relationships. We turn even to the religious world. But let me tell you, there's nobody that can heal your brokenness.

[26:33] That can heal your broken heart like Jesus can. He's the only one that can do it. And so this woman made her way to Jesus. And the Bible says she began to weep over his feet.

[26:47] She washed his feet with her very own tears. You're talking about brokenness. Then the Bible says she let down her hair. And she began to dry those wet, saturated feet.

[27:01] As a result of her tears, she began to dry it with her hair. Does that not know what the Bible says? And the Bible says, look at this. Then she broke the alabaster box.

[27:12] She broke it. Just like Jesus and Matthew broke the fish, broke the bread. She broke the alabaster box that contained this costly oil, this perfume.

[27:26] And the Bible says she began to anoint the feet of Jesus with this costly oil. What am I saying to you today?

[27:37] You had to go through what you went through. The brokenness. The isolation. The loneliness. The heartache.

[27:49] The pain. The chaos. The death of a spouse. The death of a child. Come on, you had to go through the divorce. You had to go through the diagnosis.

[28:01] The enemy meant it for your destruction. He meant it for your isolation. He meant it to kill, to steal, and to destroy. But let me tell you, God said, I'm working all things together.

[28:15] Even the ugly things. Even the painful things. Even the shameful things. God said, I'm working it for your good. And I'm working it for your glory.

[28:25] It wasn't until she broke the alabaster box that the oil could be released. What am I saying to you today? Everybody wants the oil.

[28:37] Everybody wants the power. Everybody wants the Holy Spirit. But let me tell you, you can only receive that which God is willing to do in you and through you through a life and a heart of brokenness.

[28:52] It's your brokenness. It's your brokenness that gets the attention of God. You say, well, I want to be like this one. You know, these Christian superstars.

[29:03] Whoever your favorite is. I want to be like this one. Oh, if I could just preach like this one. If I could just prophesy like this one. If I could just worship and sing like this one. If I could just be a witness like this one.

[29:15] Let me tell you, you don't know the cost they had to pay to be where they're at today. And until you're willing to humble yourself and to pay that price, you need to keep your mouth shut.

[29:26] Because I promise you, you don't want what I have. Huh? I don't want what somebody else has that I'm not willing to pay that price for what they had.

[29:39] She had to break the alabaster box before the oil could be released. Let me tell you today. Nothing shall be wasted in your life.

[29:50] As the praise team is coming back up. Musicians are coming. Everything. I'm trying to encourage you today. Everything that you have went through.

[30:02] The ridicule. The lies. The slander. The gossip. Stabbing in the back. The disloyalty. The diagnosis.

[30:14] Come on. The loss. The grief. God said it shall not be wasted. He said, but I'm going to use it.

[30:25] He said, your brokenness, your broken heart. When other people didn't even acknowledge it. When other people believe the religious mass that you put on your face with that fake smile.

[30:36] Acting like everything's alright. Shameful of the things that's really going on in your hearts. The things that have left your heart broken. God says, I see.

[30:48] After all, the Bible says he is El Roy. He is the God who sees. He said, I see. And he said, I love you anyways. When other people turned their back on you.

[31:00] He said, I'll never leave you. I'll never forsake you. But I'll be a friend that'll stick closer than any brother. When other people counted you out and said God can never use you again.

[31:11] The Bible says the gifts and the callings of God are without repentance. If God ever called you, the calling is still there. If God ever anointed you, the anointing is still there. If he ever placed his hand on you, his hand is still upon you.

[31:24] He said, I'm married even to the backslider. I'm talking about a God who loves like nobody else can love. I'm talking about a God who forgives and pardons like nobody else can.

[31:37] I'm talking about a God who heals and delivers like nobody else can. I close with this Psalm 147 verse 3. The psalmist David said it like this.

[31:49] He heals the brokenhearted. And he binds up their wounds. He heals the brokenhearted.

[32:01] And he binds up their wounds. Let me tell you, the healer is in this place today. I don't know who I'm talking to. I don't know what it is that you're facing.

[32:14] What it is that has broken your heart today. That has crushed your spirit. But God sent this simple message your way to remind you that you are not forgotten.

[32:27] That you've not been abandoned. That you're not forsaken. And that everything, everything that you've went through shall not be wasted.

[32:37] But God said, I'm going to use it. And out of your brokenness is going to flow a ministry that you can't even comprehend. That you're going to be a conduit of healing and deliverance for multitudes of people.

[32:49] Out of your brokenness is going to flow the miraculous supernatural power of God. Stand to your feet all over this place. And out of your brokenness. Like that. Come down.

[33:00] And you're part of your brokenness. So let me dans U older. I repeat my prise. And out of my brokenness will walk through last few days. So let you begin.ievement to use mykal сдел 인력. And together, like Jesus. Because of us, after Enoch andICIA temple. All of your brokenness will have an inevitable contract with us. There's none of us going to the Lord can get up.

[33:11] We're going to step down. So let's take over and figure it out. And let us bring time to think that we finish. We'll be sure you'll be through this first day. We'll be that by the worse. We'll be in the worst moment to the reading of the colonia. Like this It will give us a motion.