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  BROKEN BY GOD： GOD BREAKS YOU TO MAKE YOU
  by Shane Idleman
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Summary: This sermon emphasizes the importance of allowing God to break
us in order to make us stronger and more aligned with His will. It
discusses the struggles, hindrances, and secret sins that hold us back,
highlighting the need for repentance, humility, and seeking God's grace.
The speaker encourages embracing brokenness as a blessing, acknowledging
that God often uses challenges to refine and shape us into vessels for
His purpose. The message underscores the significance of testimony,
wisdom, waiting on God, and worship during trials, emphasizing the
transformation that comes from surrendering to God's refining process.

Duration: 1:03:22 Topics: "Brokenness", "Transformation through Surrender"
Scripture References: Matthew 21:44, Psalm 51:10, Isaiah 57:15, 2 Corinthians 12:7, Psalm 66:16, Proverbs 3:5, Romans 8:28, Matthew 11:28, James 4:10

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DESCRIPTION
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This sermon emphasizes the importance of allowing God to break us in
order to make us stronger and more aligned with His will. It discusses
the struggles, hindrances, and secret sins that hold us back,
highlighting the need for repentance, humility, and seeking God's grace.
The speaker encourages embracing brokenness as a blessing, acknowledging
that God often uses challenges to refine and shape us into vessels for
His purpose. The message underscores the significance of testimony,
wisdom, waiting on God, and worship during trials, emphasizing the
transformation that comes from surrendering to God's refining process.

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CONTENT
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The title of the message this morning is God breaks you to make you. God
breaks you to make you and the automated texting system might be sending
out the link to this and I think pretty much everyone this morning is
going to know someone who needs to hear this and be encouraged so you
can send that to them tell them to to listen to this important message
because this is where the sets the men apart from the boys have you
heard that saying this is where the rubber meets the road in this
process of breaking and we are still in revelation 12 I was going to
finish revelation 12 but there are two verses that caught my attention
that we can put up that I wanted to kind of springboard off of them into
this topic revelation 12 11 remember a couple weeks ago they overcame
him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and they
did not love their lives to the death then revelation 12 17 then the
dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the
rest of her offspring who's that believers depending on when you think
this was written or what it pertains to the bottom line is he is making
war against believers those who keep God's commandments and they hold
fast their testimony about Jesus and so I want to talk to you more a
couple weeks ago but just didn't get the time on this topic of testimony
it's so important even on twitter as well I mentioned that again all
these you know some of these major church leaders falling and others
ruining their testimony and the testimony is at stake and a testimony is
so important it is so important because your kids are watching your
testimony not what you say remember the poem I like to quote on father's
day I don't think I can remember it but wait come back father's day I
remember a little bit the lessons you deliver may be very wise and true
but I'd rather get my lesson by observing what you do for I may
misunderstand you and the high advice you give but there's no
misunderstanding how you act and how you live we are in a war for our
testimony I am you are that's where the enemy is going to come after us
in this area of testimony that's why it's so important to hold our
ground and God breaks you to make you God will break you to make you and
God often prepares you before he places you I've got a lot of cute
little sayings during this sermon but it'll it'll it'll it'll hit some
of you where it needs to hit God prepares you before he places you
reading from streams in the desert a devotional written in the 1940s I
would highly encourage you to to sign up for them as well as Oswald
Chambers my utmost for his highest they can email it to you every day
and it's just amazing the insight a lot of these people have some of the
storms of life come suddenly a great sorrow a bitter disappointment a
crushing defeat anybody been there yet it is in the storm that God
equips us for service when God wants an oak tree he plants it on the
moor where the storms will shake it and the rains will beat down upon it
and it it is in the midnight battle with the elements that the oak wins
its rugged fiber and becomes king of the forest when God wants to make a
man he puts him into some storm the history of manhood is always rough
and rugged no man is made until he has been out into the surge of the
storm and has found fulfillment in that wonderful prayer oh God take me
break me and make me that's a powerful prayer take me make me break me
the broken brokenness is a blessing the power of brokenness what does
that mean well I'm glad you asked keep listening you'll know exactly
what it means in about 45 minutes but think about this the
disappointments of childhood the pain of parenting and the loneliness of
getting older all of these wilderness experiences do have a purpose one
of the hardest things I think for any parent after losing a child is
watching God break that child or maybe out of sin or disobedience
there's a brokenness and you see your child going through and as much as
you want to pull them out of that storm sometimes you have to let them
stay in that storm to get stronger did you know the babies would never
walk if we didn't let them if you just carried around the baby never let
them develop their muscles so the enemy wants to destroy our testimonies
especially as things get worse compromise begins to enter in even more
the enemies after your testimony as a believer I want you to think about
this if salvation is a gift from God initiated by the act of the will as
many people say if you reject him or accept him if salvation is that
gift from God the person initiated by the act of the will then
destroying that person's testimony definitely hinders people coming to
the Lord many of the Samaritans believe because of the woman at the
wells testimony is that true you see so many so many testimonies of
people and that it's hard to watch and we've seen a lot of testimonies
praise God there's there's tons of still success stories but I wish I
could tell you that every success story is is ending well many back in
their addictions many have left their marriage you see even leaders you
know pastors well-known pastors all this this controversy and falling
and and it hurts the flock and that's why we often say never look at a
man or a movement look at the cross if you follow me around for a week
you'll see things come out anybody get upset in traffic they take your
parking spot you wanted maybe raise your voice when you if you follow
people around that that flesh comes out sometimes and our testimony as
especially when when Christians are new to the faith and they see people
falling it can really set them back many of us we've been around enough
to wear such and such on tv or the radio or whatever it's not gonna it's
sad and and it lets the wind out of my cell but I understand the nature
of man and I'm going to follow Christ regardless of what men do I just
shared yesterday I think it's when God develops your character by John
Bevere and his wife Lisa are doing a podcast they have some incredible
insight he said don't let your platform get bigger than your character
we could just pause right there right and let that let that kind of sink
in a little bit I did like Lord help me just I don't I this character
has to be be able to sustain what you're calling us to because your
anointing will take you somewhere but it's your character that keeps you
there and I'm going to talk with the men about this in February and the
Saturday mornings that we're doing once a month I've committed to meet
with the men pray with them talk with them kind of unopen my heart uh
just for men only if we film it maybe ladies you can watch it later but
uh but that's so important character is what stands the test of time
that's what I'm fighting for every day that's what you're fighting for
every day that's why we apologize to our spouses we apologize for to our
kids we want to make that difference but I want to share a key with you
so it will encourage you not all brokenness is from God because people
can get bitter at God why are you allowing this have you ever asked the
why questions you guys are not participating I know it's hard right it's
like yeah really what that often means why who has hurt you doesn't
spell exactly that who what something has hurt you now become bitter at
God but regardless of where the brokenness comes from God can use it
thank God for that can you imagine can can you just imagine if God's
word said something like but in these situations you're kind of on your
own you you've drifted to I can't ah Satan's got you on this I don't
know what to do on these so that's why you need to stay here could you
imagine talk about going insane Romans 8 28 and we know that all things
work together for good the reason I stopped there is I've heard so many
people quote it and stop there you don't you can't stop there there's
not even a comma oh brother you know I think God works everything for
good well there's kind of a little bit more to that to those who love
God now how do we know we love God Jesus said in scripture teaches that
we obey his word correct yes obedience is very important but obedience
must flow from a joyful heart if you're obedient but you're critical and
mean you're almost like the pharisee and so yeah I love God I follow his
word and that's this is actually why I come up with a lot of those names
right prune face Pam there's a Pam here to mean you where you at Pam
didn't mean here okay I just wrote these down nobody there's a carry
here too I better not say all these things prune face Pam critical carry
bitter Barbara don't worry man I've got a few for you legalistic Larry
arrogant Andy and judgmental Jeff all these people obey the word of God
but they're as hard as stone that's not a person who loves God you love
your theology and you're arrogant you want to be right about certain
things and again we all struggle with this you know us as I said in a
video I just put out recently us truth guys right anybody truth guys do
you lean more towards truth or love just a few of you I'm gonna start
pointing you guys out here in a minute because I know who you are I
don't say you're all truth and no love I say when you lean you're gonna
it's all it's about the truth right okay and then there's a love side oh
just just Henry I knew it yeah good call just just just love them and
just and that's good but biblically speaking we gotta come back to the
middle and have that truth and love both of those he works all things to
those who are the called according to his purpose so I better line up
with his purpose and that often involves repenting that's why I talk
about repentance a lot not only is it great for somebody who doesn't
know the Lord to come to saving faith but it's also good to get the
Christian back on track it's basically how we clean house is January
everybody's talking about juice cleanses and cleansing the body
repentance is spiritual cleansing because it gets the joy of the Lord
back into our heart then if we love God our attitudes right we repent
Lord I want to do your will then everything that happens he will work
out for his good not necessarily what we want but his good and then Job
I love this verse but he knows the way I take when he has tested me I
shall come forth as gold it's interesting right if you have a anybody
have a 14 carat ring or 24 John Bevere talked about this too 24 carat
that's not pure gold once you put that gold in the furnace that's why
the Bible talks about furnace of affliction then those things begin to
come out the dross the impurities and then what's left over is the pure
gold so Job in essence is saying he's tested me in these wilderness
experiences in these difficulties and these things come out of me to
eventually better me now on this side of heaven there's no perfect
person walking around but aren't you glad many of you are a lot better
than you used to be I pray with people often they're like I can't
believe the Lord took away my anger I used to get so mad and I prayed
for God to take it away and it got harder you ever do that the reason is
it's coming out these things are coming out of you so often when you
want these things out things don't get easier in life calm you go
through the storms and the challenges to bring these things out and
repent some of some of us have given up anger because we're just so
disgusted as to what at what it causes God's got us to such a place of
brokenness that those those impurities came out lusts the impurity of
lust comes out as well I mean you I could apply this to so many
different areas where we come forth as gold in our attitude in our mind
and our physical appetites all just things to purify us to get us closer
to look like Christ 2nd Corinthians 1 4 God comforts us in our
tribulation that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble
another reason for brokenness and don't you feel so good when you can
talk to somebody and help them because God brought you through often
often not always but often your deepest pain your deepest struggle as
God's taking you through that's going to be your greatest place of
anointing that's going to be your greatest work of of what you're going
to do for God praying for people in this specific specific area that he
brought you through because it's hard to bring someone through something
you've never been through how many can really I love when people have no
kids give me parenting advice come and talk to me in a few years it's
funny Moses had to live in the wilderness before he took them through
the wilderness that's why I've talked about this on podcasts before and
at pastors conferences and things but and I'm all for whenever God calls
a person whatever age but if you're young and you're a pastor you might
want to you know 24 25 26 27 28 29 you know you might want to sit
underneath some seasoned leadership for a while because you don't know
enough to take people through the pain of pastoring you can't relate to
this you don't understand this all you're worried about is sermon
preparation and how well you did and seminary didn't teach me this God
often calls people even sometimes later as they go through challenges I
thank God I he didn't call me young it's hard it's hard as it is older
as hard as it is psalm 119 many of you like this one as well verse 67 I
chose the amplified version before I was afflicted I went astray you
could say before the police got involved how real do you guys want me to
be this morning before the police got involved I was cocky I was doing
my own thing before I got home and I saw that letter on the table I'm
leaving and I'm taking the kids before I was afflicted I went astray and
I don't like this about us but that's the truth God has to keep us back
to come back here come because we're like y'all excited and we get now
we do now we start to stray and we're every time the children of Israel
strayed from the Lord is because of prosperity often their prosperity
and their blessing became a curse even in the wilderness oh we just have
this stupid manna from heaven if God was making food for me people don't
know what diet's best I'm pretty sure that was a perfect food but they
were complaining grumbling complaining and then God brings them out
Joshua there's not a lot of complaining they're just obeying and brings
them into the promised land and that things are going great and then
they start to stray Solomon strayed because of that David even started
to stray because of that the kings would stray and the prophets would
try to get them back return to the Lord oh backsliding Israel they
didn't they didn't stray very often in their in their in the war time in
the difficult times they strayed in the prosperity why is that because
it makes us lazy I like what one of the I think it was Jeremiah you were
acting like well-fed lusty stallions naying at your neighbor's wife they
didn't hold out any punches right you become fat and lazy that's what
they said and that's what does comfort does to us comfort comfort if
we're not careful so God in his mercy will leave us sometimes in very
difficult situations that don't make sense but I do want to talk about
life changing brokenness versus life maintaining brokenness there are
moments where life changes and you are thrown into the situation and you
could say God is breaking you or he's using because people say are you
are you saying that God caused my divorce no but he used it he used it
to bring that that allowed it I should say as well to bring you to that
spot so there's life changing brokenness where you're just at your wits
end and you finally cry out to God but there's also life maintaining
brokenness because once you get there when God broke me around 1999-2000
when he broke me I didn't stay there naturally right again everything's
going good doing this and you start to get prideful arrogant God said
I'm gonna have to slap him again and how you do that is you put others
first you work on being gentle and calm and seasoning your words with
grace and and staying plugged into a home group or plugged into a church
or coming that's why we do a lot of events you know uh sacred assembly
nights or morning worship or when you know we do all these things to
help people stay broken and fed and refueled and you have to maintain
and sometimes even as a Christian God will use things to wake you up and
break you again break you again if heaven has called you hell will
attack you and when you're broken God may finally get your attention but
here's an important key don't stay in the broken state I really want to
drive this home I wish I had more time to don't stay broken don't stay
broken God doesn't break us so we stay broken and bitter and
unproductive and walk around like this right can't think of a good word
gloomy louie you know just always broken broken by there's there's
there's something about God's pleasure too God wants us to experience
his pleasure I just I just heard this guy focus on the family this week
and I posted on my Facebook page his book I'm just starting to read it
so I can't endorse it because I haven't got through you know because
I'll hold you to everything you say on camera I don't even know the
title but he talked about and and for those truth people again you can
you can drift to this you know can't have fun side the dude don't do
this don't do this don't do this don't do this don't do this I'm the
don't God and I'm I'm obeying God's word and he said that's like and I
can totally relate I go out back in the summer I watch my kids play and
take pleasure in the trampoline and there's the playing right I take
pleasure if they what happens when they sulk and they go sit on the
porch and say I'm not having fun I don't want to do this anymore it
breaks my heart and I never really made that that God takes pleasure and
the pleasure and joy of his people and and we want to celebrate this
thing the the things to take pleasure and that's what actually happens
with addiction is we talk start to take pleasure in the things that God
has not ordained and we start to exchange those pleasures so don't stay
in that broken state the broken person needs to just repent and and
start to experience the the joy of the Lord again most don't seek the
Lord until there is pressure anybody say amen to that many of us don't
seek the Lord until there is pressure can you imagine if the top five
political problems right now didn't exist and these are big these are
big issues these are big issues facing our nation and it's pressuring a
lot of people and that's my concern instead of getting humble and broken
they're getting angry and arrogant like like that's going to fix it God
uses difficult times to pressure us could it be that he loves America so
much that he is allowing some pressure only when our hand is forced do
we yield when our back is to the wall and our fleshly attempts at
deliverance are all washed away Michael Catt he goes on to say the
blessing of God cannot come without the wrestling if there is no
willingness to yield there will never be willingness for God to rule
brokenness breaks brazen attitudes it pummels our prideful hearts and it
annihilates arrogance thank God for the broken road that led me straight
to him we should pray God thank you for brokenness thank you for
humbling me thank you Lord that I'm able to to to now look back and say
oh God use those turning points in my life so don't necessarily look for
brokenness but if God breaks you embrace it I even started to look back
I wrote and I don't want this to be about me but sometimes it helps you
know to give people some idea I started to think back on my life all the
different I mean even little league I remember I was like the number one
pitcher people were coming all out to watch they're clocking me on this
you know 63 64 miles an hour and and man and and this you know my dad
brings me in baser loaded no outs and I strike everybody out now we're
going and and then I had to have arm surgery that's why I still can't
straighten it got into physical therapy on it you know physical therapy
was it was back then the doctor said carry around a heavy can of soup
all day to straighten it out but then I go into high school paraclete
high school still was really good they were really good in baseball back
then I didn't even make the the team for a couple years because I
couldn't I couldn't throw anymore the humbling but I look back now thank
God because you see some of these athletes I've never seen more pride in
all my life my goodness that you think they'd walk on water and God uses
these these humbling things and then high school so much humbling took
place and and you walk out there you're kind of like the limp right of
of God just breaking and breaking trying to get this pride out of you
trying to get this pride out of you I want to share a clip too let me
set it up I think we have it ready I was actually the oldest filming
footage I found of me in 24-hour fitness and I was the top salesman in
California Southern California with hundreds and hundreds of employees
that was my goal that was my God in the bodybuilding and then I show you
a clip where the next convention I came up and I was in third place not
first anymore I was so mad I remember it but it'd be funny even to show
you how much just God has even changed my heart it's on the video this
that the church put out arrogant arrogant arrogant all right that's good
it sets the stage I lost a lot of weight since then by in case you can't
tell but anyway that was my that was my God working out being the
strongest guy in the gym and then God allows something called my
apartment my a pericarditis at 24 I'm in the hospital for four days did
that humble me nope and then God started to take the this number one
then number three and now your area is not doing that great now we need
to demote you because you have to keep beating yourself corporate
America many of you guys know you have to keep beating same store growth
every year and when you don't they demote you corporate America doesn't
play around if you're not hitting the numbers and these breaking in this
breaking in this breaking it's in and that's how God makes a man or
woman of God is they get all these things out of you although not
perfect amen but there's a process where where God breaks you and breaks
you and breaks you some of the greatest moments in your life come in the
darkest hours some of the greatest intimacy you will ever have from God
come in the silent times many of you know people are going through hell
right now you need to encourage them with all of this when God breaks
you and then rebuilds you it's it's incredible God is often the potter
and we are the clay correct but this potter actually breaks the clay and
then softens it to rebuild it there's three tests during a trial when
God is breaking you that you need to be aware of we give up sometimes
and we quit it's either too hard too long or too slow anybody relate
Lord this is too hard so I'm doing something that God's called me to do
and I become bitter and I run from my calling or what he's called you to
do it could be a marriage could be anything think about if pastor did
that this this is too hard I don't need to put up with this let me go
get a nine to five and and have an easy life too hard too long Lord
please please what's taking so long and then we jump out out of ship we
jump off the ship the difference between too long and too short is this
for example when we you know if we drive to see my family in Idaho it's
hard for us because it's too long right but if we do make the drive and
we go 10 miles an hour then it's too slow things are not happening quick
enough and often God uses the situation to work so where all three of
these have been dealt with Lord I don't care how hard it is you are my
strength I don't care how long it takes because those who wait upon the
Lord will renew their strength and I don't care if it's too slow because
waiting time is not wasted time and when the heart is right then God
begins to shape that man or woman of character even more the promised
land wasn't given to them in one battle oh boy we could camp out on that
think about it all these battles we want to you know I want to win next
week I want I want this to be over sometimes it's city by city they
didn't go in I don't think they ever conquered all of it and it took
years and years and years and so that's one thing why I don't give up on
America because there are some battles I mean when Roe v Wade was
overturned how many churches didn't say anything well they're they're
revealing their true colors oh but this caused this for I don't know I'm
glad that happened after 50 years of prayer right and some things are
our battles daily battles we overcome this then this happens we overcome
this and this happens that's why it's a constant struggle when a bone is
broken it is set in place to heal so there's so many different mixed
stories in this room some of you have could preach the same sermon
probably even better others of you I don't know I haven't really been
broken yet well hold on honey I'm preparing people for that when
something is broken it's been set in place to heal and we can't run from
that process then there's three responses during this trial that are so
important wisdom wisdom I keep encountering this a lot when I'm giving
counsel to people you know we're waiting we do you like when God writes
the answer up in the sky maybe with a chemtrail but don't get me but oh
if he would just tell me he would just tell me and I tell a lot of
people you know God gives us wisdom for a reason God gives us pastor I
don't know if I need to fast well you know you have a lot of health
issues I don't know you might need to make some changes wisdom I don't
know if I should buy that car that's they're $80,000 now and I really
like these electric cars you're not gonna be able to pay that wisdom
wisdom so through the brokenness and through these trials what is wise
what is the right thing to do wisdom is the principal thing prover says
therefore get wisdom and in all your understanding get more wisdom she
will exalt you she will promote you and I know as Christians especially
as Christians who believe that the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit
or the Holy Spirit can still speak to us today or lead us today not
equal to scripture not above scripture but sometimes we need a little
help Lord prompting directing and sometimes we rely on that more than
wisdom I feel this leading is it wise does it line up with scripture
have you waited on God how many times do we just rush into something
because of fear just me rush into something because because of fear
what's that food storage you know the last 25 years you buy those boxes
I've got like eight boxes taking up a closet from COVID time food
chain's gonna be shut down call this number boom but it's okay to have
that stuff sure it's okay to be I think it's wise to have extra water
extra that's just wisdom because you're providing for your family you're
not doing out of fear but then sometimes we do make decisions out of
fear so what is what is wise and I've learned over the long haul that
God often doesn't want me to make a quick impulsive decision without
waiting on him I can't tell you how many times I've changed my my mind
on things that I move too quickly on but waiting on the Lord that was
number two wait on him and then as you're waiting you worship why is
that so why is that so important because you can have wisdom and you can
be waiting and then you can become critical and bitter I know a lot of
people using wisdom and waiting on God but they're not happy about it
and they'll let you know if he doesn't answer me by next month I'm
taking this matter in my own hands I don't know what's taking so long
well it's probably going to take a long time until you get your attitude
straight I know there are some things that God has for this church I've
been praying about for a long time but it if we're not ready it's not
going to come but be encouraged be encouraged I don't know if I put this
point up here some things are better broken some things are better
broken correct so be encouraged if God is breaking you some things are
better broken broken crowns still color whether gloves still catch and
broken up soil must happen in order for plants to be planted that's why
God told one of the prophets either Hosea or Amos and one of them break
up your follow ground it is time to seek the Lord break up that follow
ground they knew what it meant the ground had grown hard and stony and
nothing can penetrate the water would hit it and just kind of flow away
in order to grow something in order for God to do something in that
harvest they had to go and take these tools and break up that follow
ground and then he paralleled that to their heart break up the follow
ground to your heart I know you've been a Christian a long time but
you're condescending and arrogant you are just as hard as a rock I know
you've been a Christian for a while but you have no joy you're so
selfish and arrogant I know you've been a Christian for a while but
you've been treating your spouse like she's or he's or whatever it just
is is chop meat I don't know you put fill in the blank right and and I
know you I've been a Christian but I've got all this hardness is built
up anybody can relate because life will jade you life will make you hard
that's what happens with our law enforcement officers and and
correctional officers that's why I have to pray for them can happen to
pastors too become jaded and hurt and that that stone that just builds
up break that follow ground thank God broken crown still color I like
that the reason I like is because I remember I don't know what what
daughter it was of mine but they came in there was so there's they're
crying they're like my crown is broke my crown my new crown is broken
daddy's my favorite color I said that's okay the color is even better it
makes some big broad pictures it colors in the lines even better this
type of crown is much better for what we're trying to do God knows how
to break a man he knows how to break a person and get that person to the
point of desperation because when you come out of that desperation you
begin to seek him like never before the fullness of the spirit begins to
dwell inside of you joy and peace with the that you can't explain comes
into your heart God bless the broken road that led me straight to you
broken broken broken he rebuilds the broken and he elevates the humble
don't stay broken don't stay battered and don't stay bitter maybe some
of you need to hear that don't stay broken battered and bitter I know
people in this church who that applies to and I pray for them their
brokenness and what they've went through in life has caused them to
become bitter and angry and frustrated and I'm not minimizing what
people go through but if you don't get on your face before God and
repent and say God please get me back up on the right I want the joy of
the Lord to return I want the joy you think God's gonna say nope not
right now you're gonna have to wait a few weeks now it might take some
time to get certain things out of us because I believe that's why God
doesn't completely deliver or answer that prayer right away let's say
I'm praying I'm praying Lord I need that joy back I need that peace back
oh Lord please I need oh holy spirit comes upon you right and it's and
that happens sometimes without I can't even tell you how many times that
has happened but there's other times where okay hot shot you're gonna
have to humble yourself go tell that person sorry stop holding in that
bitterness that I'm for oh no no no no well the joy is not coming until
you do something we forget that sometimes the scriptures tell us to do
something God didn't say I'll break up the fall of ground don't worry
sit at home go pick up Krispy Kreme watch reacher and all break up the
follow ground he said you you break up the follow ground so in the
breaking process there is responsibility on our end because you can play
broken to others and not truly be broken and so to some of you also I'd
ask the question what's it going to take to break you what's it going to
take to break you I've seen Christians being broken by God who are not
receptive and I wonder what in the world is it going to take you what's
it going to take in our nation to break us this year's gonna have a lot
of surprises I can tell you that much are we going to become fearful and
attack our political opposite and think that somebody's gonna get an
office and save us at this point at this point nobody is coming to save
you only God only God I love this verse Isaiah I dwell God says I dwell
in the high and holy place with him who has a contrite and humble spirit
God says I will dwell with you I will revive you if you're humble I will
revive the contrite ones that's an incredible promise I dwell with those
who are humble and broken and contrite but the arrogant I what push away
remember that verse I learned when I first came back to Lord just really
stood out I think Ezekiel he said I will bring back the broken I will
strengthen the sick I will heal or heal the stick or strengthen those
who are weak but the fat the proud the arrogant I will feed and judgment
thus saith the Lord and I just highlighted that I mean that when it says
the fat the proud it means a lot of times their gluttony their
lascivious living their partying had turned into this this hard
lifestyle and God said I will I will resist the proud but give grace to
the humble when God gets us alone through suffering heartbreak
temptation disappointment sickness or by our desires not coming to pass
my dreams have died anybody relate he absolutely gets us alone and then
we are totally speechless unable to ask even one question then he begins
to teach us Oswald Chambers and I sat for a while and I pondered I'm
like you know what he's right the times I've been really taught by God
we're not in times of of prosperity and and joy things going great he
teaches us through that affliction Michael Cat again from his book the
power of desperation breakthroughs in our brokenness and I highly
recommend it he said they sing on Sunday about the cross and then they
live in deception manipulation and lies during the week as a pastor I
see this a lot and it breaks my heart what happens on Sunday has very
little to do with how they live the rest of their lives until they face
a crisis isn't that interesting the lukewarm Christian has to go through
some fire to be heated up as I said before thank God for young pastors
we need more of them but the sooner they understand the blessing of
brokenness and the power of humility the better they will be at leading
others and A.W. Tozer said it's doubtful it's doubtful whether God can
bless a man greatly until he has hurt him deeply the saying also goes
it's doubtful that God can use a man powerfully and mightily until he
has hurt him deeply because it takes broken people to break people and
it's so important this topic is so important then we can say then we can
say come and hear what God has done for me I love that verse in psalm
psalm 66 16 then we can say hey come and hear what God has done for me I
want to encourage all of you to be here Wednesday the 7th of February
it's guest worship and the and all the people in the choir are graduates
of teen challenge and I'm going to give a special message from psalms
but but come and hear come and hear what God has done for me and that's
what you do after God breaks you and humbles you and you come out of
that furnace of affliction is fine gold then you can tell others look at
what God has done for me that's why in Christian apologetics I don't
know what to say to my neighbor I don't know what to say you don't have
to worry about it just say this is what God has done for me yeah well I
don't believe the Bible I don't know what to tell you this is what God
has done for me yeah but men wrote the Bible I don't know what to tell
you but this is what God has done for me I believe in evolution and
atheism where's it got you let me tell you what God has done for me I do
want to encourage all of you the making of a man of God or even a woman
of God of Of course, God often uses a limp and a thorn. A limp and a
thorn, doesn't He? Remember Jacob, after his name was changed, he said,
now you're going to be called Israel.

Israel. And he was wrestling. Richard Andrews sings that song, I'm Not
Going to Go Until You Bless Me.

A lot of people don't understand, but the lyrics are powerful because
it's talking about wrestling with God. And Jacob says, I'm not going to
go until you bless me. He's not talking about Alexis.

Get that out. If God said, Shane, you're not going to make much money,
but I'm going to bless you, I would take that over any other thing on
planet Earth. Would you not? God's going to walk with me and bless you.

I'm not going to let go until you bless me. Okay, and now your name has
changed to Israel. But just so you don't forget, I'm going to do
something in your hip joint there.

And so he gets up, God bless him, and now he's like, oh... And the
family gets home. What happened to you? I don't know about you, but I
don't like to explain my limp all the time, do you? Why are you broken?
Why did this happen in your past? The shame and the guilt? Anybody dealt
with that before? The limp and the thorn? You've got the limp, and then
Paul said, a messenger from Satan came against me. He buffeted my flesh.

So I'm glad it doesn't say what it is, because you can apply it to just
about anything. And I prayed, Paul prayed, Lord, take this away. Anybody
been praying that before? Lord, take this away, take this away, take
this away, three times I pleaded.

But God said, I'm not going to take it away. That thorn in your flesh is
not going to leave. But my grace is sufficient.

So as he has this thorn in the flesh, walking around with it, it could
be, you know, people say it's eyesight. People say he struggled with
this less. Who knows? I'm glad we don't know, because that's what Paul
dealt with.

Glad I don't have to deal with it. You know, I don't have that issue.
Don't be like, oh, I'm glad I'm not like that.

You have your issues, be quiet. Who are you trying to fool? That's why
we should never judge, I can't believe they did that. I can't believe
they fell again and went to the liquor store.

Well, you can't give up caffeine, nicotine, or food. That addiction's
addiction. Now, one has worse consequences, but get off your high horse.

And so you're walking around with that thorn. Maybe people could see if
it was eyesight or something physical, and you're walking around with
that reminder. That's not too spiritual.

You throw the limp in there, what's wrong with you? What's wrong with
you? Anybody, well, don't put up your hands, but have you ever been
divorced? You like carrying that big D around on your forehead? Oh, I
remember that. Who do you think you are in church? That limp. Remember
how you blew it? Remember 10 years ago? You destroyed your life.

People see that limp. Maybe you're in a recovery home. It's
embarrassing.

Where do you work at? I don't right now. And you carry that limp around.
That limp hurts.

It's painful. I'll never forget the first time I met Morgan's dad. Six
foot five, ex-Marine.

So what do you do? Live with my mom and work construction. What? You
live with your mom at 30? One or whatever? And you dig ditches? You know
how humbling that was? He didn't act like that, thank God. But inside
I'm thinking, just wait.

Just wait, God is preparing me. God broke me down to build me up. And I
knew I could see the end.

I could see the end of where this was going, obviously. But those
embarrassing moments, those limps that will not leave, those thorns,
they're there for a purpose, to keep us humble. So what you're
struggling with, pray that God takes it away.

I pray, because you don't want to keep falling, but also it's a good
reminder of how broken we are. How many of you know that story in John 5
where Jesus goes and He heals that man? He heals him. He's on a bed.

And Jesus then, after He healed him, said, take up your bed and go. And
He's going with His bed. And the Pharisees said, who healed you? Why are
you carrying your bed on the Sabbath? Right, He's holding His bed, so I
don't know, that could have been a little embarrassing.

Right, like why are you carrying your bed? We used to be paralytic or
what happened to you? And so He's carrying around this bed. And I just
started to think how we also do something like that divorce. What I just
said, it's not what I wanted people to say.

But they have to carry around that bed, don't they? It's that reminder.
As much as we want to forget about it, we don't want people to know
about it. Correct? We don't want people to know about it.

We're carrying this around. Abortion, oh, there's a famous singer now,
it was in the news this week, she so regrets ending the lives of her
children for fame and fortune. And she's got to carry around that bed.

Prodigals. Any parents have kids that aren't living where they need to
be living with the Lord? That's painful, isn't it? Very painful. And we
say, and I hear it a lot, and I weep with them, I try to be a good
parent.

I try to be a good parent. And they're carrying around that bed. This is
a hard one.

Honestly, I'm being transparent this morning, too much show maybe. But
this is a hard one for me because I live in a fishbowl. So any little
thing my kids do wrong, it's magnified.

And then I have to walk around with the same bed. And if you've had
divorce, abortion, and prodigal, then you're carrying a heavy bed. And
life will begin to weigh you down.

My health is failing. Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief. I've got
financial failure.

Anybody had a financial failure? And been embarrassed you've got to
carry that bed around? Part of the story I didn't tell you, 24-Hour
Fitness is in my 20s. I had a custom home in Quartz Hill in my 20s. Six
figures back in the 1990s.

That's not too bad. And God called me, I just had to let everything go.
Stock options, everything go.

And it took a while. It took like six months. I went and got apartments.

I'm not moving with my mom. Heck no. That's too embarrassing.

And then after the savings runs down, guess what? I said, mom, but you
don't tell anybody I'm living here. And to make money, what'd I have to
do? I had to go grab a shovels and digging bars and dig ditches. I'd be
at people's homes.

They'd be like, what are you doing? I'm a Christian now. What happened
to you? Carrying that bed. Don't you hate when your sin is seen by all?
This man was carrying his bed around.

Broken marriage. I don't know what else to do, Shane. I've tried
everything.

My marriage is broken. And people know it. They see you and they're,
we're such and such.

And you carry that bed around. They see you carrying that bed around.
Addiction.

I keep falling. I keep failing. And people see it.

Isn't that embarrassing? Come on, let's be real. You get up in the
morning like, what did I do? What happened last night? Oh my God. And
people are joking.

I'm just glad they didn't have social media when I was partying. Golly.
Man.

It's on film forever. And they keep carrying this bed. My sin is in
front of everybody.

My failure's in front of everybody. What about regret? Anybody say, I
wish I could do things over again. And so I thought, why am I still
carrying my bed? People think that.

Why am I still carrying my bed? Why do I have these reminders? Why do I
have this pain? Why do I have this shame? Can anybody relate? It's like,
we wanna look like Superman and super Christian. I have a guy straight
from seminary. I've done great.

I've no problems. And look at this. All five of my kids serve the Lord
and they're walking with the fullness of the gospel.

And I've never, no marriage issues. I don't think we've ever argued.
Woo! And we feel that way.

It's, why am I still carrying this? Why are these reminders here? Why is
this pain here? Why is this shame here? Anybody have shame over their
past life or what they went through? And Jesus says, yeah, you're still
carrying the bed. You're still carrying the bed. But before you met me,
the bed was carrying you.

Yeah, you're carrying around those things. You're carrying that bed. But
before you met me, that bed was carrying you.

And we pray, oh God, this morning, take me, break me, and make me. God
is the shepherd of the shattered. I think we had up there earlier,
Johnny Erickson Tata.

Do you know who she is in the wheelchair? She said, God permits what he
hates to accomplish what he loves. Let that sink in. God permits what he
hates.

Something going on in your life. Something breaking you. Something
happens.

He permits it because he wants to accomplish what he loves. In other
words, he wants to help you. He wants to get you through.

He wants to develop you. Matthew 21, 44, Jesus said, whoever falls on
this stone, meaning himself, will be broken in a good way. But whoever
it falls, it will grind him to powder.

So Jesus is saying, calling them to repentance, fall on this stone. Fall
on me. Let it break you.

Let it humble you. Because when I come back and I judge the world, if
this stone has to fall on you, it's going to grind you to powder. You
see, we have a choice, no matter what you believe, technically,
sociology-wise, or what we know that God will judge people based on
their decision to accept him or reject him.

So I think we need to rest in him. I don't know where you're at this
evening or this morning, I should say. Rest in him.

Don't run from him. Run to him. How many of you run from God? Run back
to him.

That is the key. Repent and return. Repent and return.

Too many people think lightly of sin, and therefore, lightly of their
Savior. Don't minimize sin. Guys, in a culture now that minimizes sin,
we need to put it in its right light.

It is disobedience against God. He calls us to repentance. I'm going to
leave you with this takeaway from John 5. John 5. In John 5, Jesus heals
this man.

And the man is laying on a bed. And he heals the man, and then he says,
okay, take the bed with you. Take this bed and go.

So he's walking around with this bed, and the Pharisees see him and go,
why are you carrying a bed on the Sabbath? Like, well, these guys, man,
unbelievable. Jesus just heals the guy. It shows the hardness of the
heart.

So he's carrying around this bed with him after Jesus healed him. And it
kind of reminded me of what I talked about earlier. Divorce as well.

Many of you are still carrying around that bed. It's not what I wanted.
I didn't mean to end up here.

And it's like you have that limp that will not leave, or you have that
thorn, or you're still carrying your bed. I don't want people to see my
bed. Can you relate? I don't want people to see my shame.

I don't want people to know my story. I don't want people to know my
past. Especially, and people say in this area, what about abortion? I
was young.

I didn't mean to do that. But we have to carry that bed. Prodigals.

You have prodigals in your family. You try to be a good parent. Isn't it
embarrassing sometimes when the kids don't obey? And you have to carry
that bed, and you carry that shame and guilt that you feel.

Or financial failure. Anybody have financial failure? It's embarrassing,
isn't it? You thought you were all that. You thought you were doing
great, and then God begins to remove that area of your life.

And you have to carry around that bed. Or a broken marriage. So many
broken marriages.

And people come to church, and their spouse isn't with them. And they
have to say, where's your spouse? Well, it's not going good right now.
The shame, the guilt.

They carry that bed. Addiction. I keep falling.

I keep failing. Anybody relate? I keep falling. I keep failing.

And it's shame. Family members know. People know.

And now you've got to carry, you're still carrying this bed. Can I get
rid of this bed? Can I get rid of this bed? I've got so much regret. Why
am I still carrying my bed? It's my reminder.

It's my pain. It's my shame. But here's the thing, Jesus says is, yeah,
you're still carrying your bed.

You're still carrying your bed, but before you met Me, the bed was
carrying you. Big difference. Big difference.

So we need to pray that prayer this morning. Oh God, take me, break me,
and make me. The sooner you submit to the refining process, the easier
it becomes.

Oh, it's just saying, Lord, refine me. That's why David said, create me
a clean heart. Renew a right spirit within me.

Lord, break me. Humble me. And then as a result, He doesn't leave you in
that broken state.

He fills you with His Spirit, and then comes tremendous joy and peace.
And I love that worship song, out of the ashes I will arise. There's
still ashes, but God begins to repair the breach.

He begins to shore in all the damage. He begins to rebuild, and you come
back stronger in the power and presence of God, because you know Him as
healer. You know Him as deliverer.

You know Him as your strong tower, and you can rejoice in that fact. Oh,
God bless the broken road that led me staked to the cross. I don't know
about you, but without that broken road, I might not be looking to the
cross.

I might not be leaning on the cross. I might not have ever repented.
It's in God's love and grace that He breaks us, and He humbles us.

If you're young and you laugh at this message now, trust me, you'll
remember it 10 years from now. The mocking tones, God will break out of
you as well.

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Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/_V4sAMS-tk4.mp4
Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/shane-idleman/broken-by-god-god-breaks-you-to-make-you/
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