Breaking of Proud Hearts
Basilea Schlink emphasizes the importance of humility and repentance in experiencing God's transformative power in our lives.
In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience of how God works in our lives. The speaker and his community were facing multiple challenges, including broken machinery and ruined hay. They realized that these difficulties were a message from God, calling them to have broken hearts and seek reconciliation with Him and each other. Through repentance and a change of heart, they experienced a new and more vibrant relationship with God. The sermon emphasizes that God is a God of miracles, and His greatest miracle is the transformation of our hearts.
Full Transcript
God lives and works today. He enjoys helping His children and answering their prayers. However, sometimes He can't intervene immediately.
Why? We will be hearing in today's meditation from someone who has experienced an answer to this question. As newcomers on Canaan, we brothers had read of how the sisters had experienced year after year the reality of God's wonder-working power in their lives on Canaan. However, we hadn't really experienced this ourselves until one summer as the hay was ready to be brought in.
All at once, the machines began to break down. First, the tractor had three flat tires within a very short space of time. Then, the machine for turning the hay broke down.
Then, on top of that, our only lawnmower broke down, so that all the lawns were becoming overgrown. We began to ask ourselves what the matter was, until finally it dawned on us that through all of this, God was trying to tell us something. He was waiting for broken hearts and reconciliation among us, for a fresh love for Him.
But in spite of all this, it didn't really sink in. To top it off, it began to rain on the freshly cut hay. It began to pour so that the hay was sure to be ruined.
Then it finally sank in. The Holy Spirit began to break our proud hearts. We began to see how much we'd been hurting God's heart, how much we'd been letting Him down by being so hard-hearted and so insensitive to Him.
But it was God's judgment that began to change that. Through repentance, God brought us into a new and more living relationship with Him and with one another. And then not only did the hay miraculously turn out all right for the winter, but the machines didn't break down for the rest of the summer.
Yes, God is really a God who does miracles. And His greatest miracle is that He can change our hearts. I am praising for Your forgiveness so amazing, and in Your arms I rest secure.
I praise Your wise, Your careful guiding, my pathway in Your love providing, Your loving choice for me, Your child. I praise You for Your careful seeing that has preserved my very being at every step has salvaged me. If you do not have access to the web, please write to God Lives and Works Today, 9849 North Fortieth Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85028-4099, USA.
God bless you.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Introduction to God's work in our lives
- Experiences of the brothers on Canaan
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II
- Challenges faced during the hay season
- Significance of the breakdowns
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III
- Realization of God's message
- Need for broken hearts and reconciliation
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IV
- The role of the Holy Spirit in transformation
- Repentance leading to a renewed relationship
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V
- Miraculous outcomes of faith
- God's ability to change hearts
Key Quotes
“God is really a God who does miracles.” — Basilea Schlink
“His greatest miracle is that He can change our hearts.” — Basilea Schlink
“I praise Your wise, Your careful guiding, my pathway in Your love providing.” — Basilea Schlink
Application Points
- Reflect on areas in your life where pride may be hindering your relationship with God.
- Seek reconciliation with others to foster a spirit of unity and love.
- Embrace the transformative work of the Holy Spirit through prayer and repentance.