WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:11.119 Turning your Bibles back to where we were last Sunday for Easter when we looked at the road to joy in Luke 24. 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:18.160 And last week we looked at verses 13 through 30. 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:20.960 What a message it was. 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:30.800 As we ended the message saying, Compel Jesus to come in and stay with us, to abide with us. 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:39.280 But one of the things that God had laid on my heart, and by the way, if you're here this morning, you do not have a worship guide, raise your hand. 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:41.679 Anyone does not have a worship guide right here? 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:44.240 Angela needs one right here. 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:45.439 Amen. 00:00:48.479 --> 00:00:55.679 I don't know about you, but every week I take my little worship guide home with me and file it. 00:00:58.079 --> 00:01:02.079 But today, the title of the message is Breaking Bread Together. 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:05.519 We'll be having the Lord's Supper here in a little bit. 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:16.400 But before that, I've got a message that God laid on my heart last week as I was ending this message, studying last week. 00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:20.799 God gave me a message about breaking of the bread. 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:26.079 As the three approached the village of Emmaus. 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:35.840 At the conclusion of their trip here, the Lord acted as if he was going to go on and leave them and continue his journey. 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:42.400 And then the couple begged the Lord right here to stay with them at their home since it was getting late. 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:45.200 And Jesus conceded and went home with them. 00:01:45.359 --> 00:01:54.560 And as they sat together for the meal, the Lord took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. 00:01:54.719 --> 00:02:05.920 If you look at verse 28, and they drew nigh into the village whether they went, and he made as though he would have gone further, but they constrained him. 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:08.319 In other words, they pressed in on him. 00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:09.520 They urged him, actually. 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:12.479 One of the synems they grabbed hold of him. 00:02:12.879 --> 00:02:14.240 Said, Don't leave. 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:15.759 Don't leave. 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:17.919 Come home with us. 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:19.039 Let's go. 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:20.560 It's late. 00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:22.000 Let us feed you. 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:25.680 And sure enough, let me tell you something. 00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:29.439 When you grab a hold of Jesus and you tell him you want more, he won't leave. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:30.719 Amen. 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:32.879 He won't leave, folks. 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:34.319 That's what he wants. 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:37.360 He wants us to grab a hold and not let go. 00:02:38.240 --> 00:02:40.319 By the way, he's never going to let go. 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:43.120 But he wants us to grab back. 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:47.039 He wants us to love him as much as he loves us. 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:49.199 If that's possible. 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:51.360 But he does. 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:55.520 He wants us to desire him more than anything else that we desire. 00:02:56.400 --> 00:03:00.159 And we see that this couple wanted more. 00:03:01.039 --> 00:03:05.599 And then the Bible says, but they constrained him to stay and abide with him. 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:08.080 And he went in to tarry with them. 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:18.960 And then verse 30, and it came to pass as he sat at meat with them, he took the bread and blessed it and broke it and gave to them. 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:29.759 As the bread was broken by the Lord to bring blessings to them, God sometimes has to break us in order to bring blessings to us. 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:32.000 Can I say to you? 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:35.199 I know that's happened in my own life more than once. 00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:45.360 God had to break me so that he could get my attention because he wanted a mission for me, but he also wanted to bless me. 00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:58.400 And any and every time you see in the scriptures, God and Christ, his son, breaking of bread to give to people, it's in the context of God's blessing them. 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:01.680 God's going to provide for them. 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:05.599 God's going to do something special for them. 00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:09.120 And so here we see that. 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:13.360 That the bread was broken by the Lord to bring blessing. 00:04:13.439 --> 00:04:16.639 And God sometimes has to break us in order to bring blessings. 00:04:16.879 --> 00:04:20.319 And to not just us, but to us. 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:24.959 Do you know what I've learned over 45 years of ministry now? 00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:27.920 Man, it didn't seem that long. 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:30.879 But it's been a long time, honey. 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:33.759 We've been traveling this road a long time. 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:39.279 But each and every time God would break us to bless us. 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:40.800 You know what else I learned? 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:45.600 That He not only blessed us, but then He used us to bless others. 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:54.639 And so as I thought about that, this is what the Lord's Supper really means. 00:04:54.959 --> 00:05:00.160 The Lord will sometimes break us to, and number one, here's the first thing I want us to look. 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:01.439 Why does he break us? 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:09.360 Number one, I want to leave with us this morning two key things, but it's very important with the subpoints. 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:11.839 Number one, but here's the first major point. 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:19.600 The Lord will sometimes break us to develop character and maturity in our lives. 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:24.160 Look at what he says in Psalms chapter 4, verse 1. 00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:25.839 Powerful statement here. 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:30.399 Notice what David said in Psalms chapter 4, verse 1. 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:34.560 Hear me when I call, O God, of my righteousness. 00:05:34.800 --> 00:05:36.319 Now watch what he said. 00:05:36.639 --> 00:05:40.480 Thou hast enlarged, watch, me. 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:44.319 In other words, and then we'll look at what the word enlarge means here in a minute. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:46.720 Enlarge me when I was in distress. 00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:47.519 Uh-oh. 00:05:48.240 --> 00:06:00.560 Not when I was full of joy, not when I was on the mountaintop, but when I was in the valley, when I was down, when I was dismayed, discouraged, down and out. 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:04.160 That's when I learned my lesson. 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:07.120 You don't learn lessons on the mountaintop. 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:09.519 You learn lessons in the valley. 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:11.120 Amen. 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:13.199 So don't ever forget that. 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:16.319 So next time you wake up and you say, My goodness, I'm in a valley. 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:17.279 I'm having problems. 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:19.519 I'm in tribulate times. 00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:25.839 Remember, God's ready to do something, to teach you something so that he can use you in a greater way. 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:27.360 To bless you. 00:06:27.519 --> 00:06:30.800 Next time you're in a bind, remember a blessing's coming. 00:06:33.519 --> 00:06:34.959 If you yield to him. 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:36.160 Amen. 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:38.079 Man, that's encouraging. 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:41.439 Next time you're down and out, remember a blessing's coming. 00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:43.839 There's a purpose. 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:46.639 There's got to be a breaking before the blessing. 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:48.639 And notice what else he said. 00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:52.720 When I was in distress, then he said, here's the right word. 00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:58.639 Have mercy upon me and hear my prayer. 00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:03.120 Now, right, here's what I want you to put down in the little blank for A. 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:09.519 God uses brokenness to enlarge us. 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:12.079 Somebody say that's good, preacher. 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:18.800 God uses brokenness to enlarge us. 00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:21.199 Oh, that's good. 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:23.839 And the word enlarge here, here's what it means. 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:30.399 The Hebrew word means to broaden or to open a door. 00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:32.319 Wow. 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:42.319 In other words, sometimes God brings brokenness so that he can enlarge us and open a door for further ministry. 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:56.240 In fact, I'm convinced that's what most of the brokenness to a Christian comes for is to broaden us, to open doors for us, to do greater ministry for God. 00:07:57.920 --> 00:07:59.600 No doubt in my mind. 00:07:59.839 --> 00:08:05.439 And I'm learning that even after 40 years, I'm learning it more and more every day. 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:07.519 The opportunities. 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:17.519 There's a group of us after we play pickleball that we go and we get us a sausage biscuit and senior coffee for$1.62. 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:30.079 But we get to a chance to minister, and I'm not going to call any names or but God has opened the door for us to minister to a lady that works at McDonald's, and we're fixing to bless her. 00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:31.759 And how can we bless her? 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:33.679 Because God's blessed us. 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:36.639 And God told us to do it. 00:08:36.879 --> 00:08:38.480 Told me and Clay we got to do it. 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:39.200 And we're doing it. 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:41.360 I'm in the process of getting it done right now. 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:44.159 And Landy's going to be a part of that too. 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:48.480 But that's what we're talking about, how to be a blessing. 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:51.679 We are broken to bless others. 00:08:51.919 --> 00:08:53.360 I really believe that. 00:08:53.679 --> 00:08:55.279 It opens the door. 00:08:55.519 --> 00:09:04.960 The trials from brokenness can develop or broaden our character and teach us important insights from the scriptures. 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:12.320 Let me ask you, when do you go to God diligently and with everything you got? 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:14.000 When you're on the mountaintop? 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:15.200 Absolutely not. 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:21.519 It's when you're in the valley and you feel like you're going under for, hey, for the last breath or you're down for the last count. 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:24.159 Then you go, you grab that Bible and you start looking. 00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:30.080 God knows that. 00:09:30.960 --> 00:09:31.919 He knows. 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:35.120 God uses our distresses. 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:37.039 I wrote this to me. 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:38.559 I know it's in my own life. 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:43.759 God uses our distresses to knock off the rough edges in our life. 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:46.240 Some of us are proud peacocks. 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:47.600 Hello? 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:48.879 You okay out there? 00:09:49.039 --> 00:09:50.559 I said some of us. 00:09:50.879 --> 00:09:52.000 We like to strut. 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:54.879 You ever seen a peacock do his, the male peacock do his? 00:09:55.279 --> 00:10:01.600 There's nothing more beautiful than a male peacock when a hen peacock comes by. 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:03.200 That thing, have you ever heard? 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:12.720 Oh, they go, I mean, wow! And then they get, was that good? 00:10:12.799 --> 00:10:13.840 That was good, wasn't it? 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:14.480 I've seen them. 00:10:14.559 --> 00:10:14.960 I love them. 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:16.320 And then they start going. 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:21.600 I mean, I strutton their stuff. 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:26.399 Don't look at me like that. 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:27.039 They do. 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:28.559 That's what they do. 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:36.720 So God sometimes has to knock that strutting out of us. 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:37.679 Amen. 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:40.879 He does to get our attention. 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:42.159 But that's so true. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:43.519 I was thinking about that. 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:45.679 Which brings me to the next little B. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:48.399 Look at what else God has taught me here. 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:57.120 God uses our distress and our discouragement to knock off the rough edges in our life, but he also opens, ready for this? 00:10:57.360 --> 00:11:05.200 During this time, new doors of opportunity and growth and future ministry. 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:07.919 And here's what I want you to fill in. 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:17.600 The humility that comes from brokenness lifts us up to new levels of spiritual growth. 00:11:18.159 --> 00:11:23.440 It lifts us up to new levels of spiritual growth. 00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:30.879 I am convinced there's no better way or no greater way is a better word. 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:42.559 No greater way for God to teach us than in those broken times of our life because we're so vulnerable and we're more open to listening to what he has to say. 00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:48.960 So it's a time to God for God to take us to another level. 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:50.960 Look at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abedigo. 00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:55.840 Look at Daniel in the lines there. 00:11:56.080 --> 00:11:59.840 Hey, I mean it what it was in the fire that God showed up. 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:04.480 He didn't show up outside the fire, didn't show up after the fire, showed up in the fire. 00:12:06.559 --> 00:12:07.759 And he taught them. 00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:08.480 And guess what? 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:09.360 What was he doing? 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:15.600 He was teaching them that even in the worst of times, God's there and God's using that. 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:17.840 Do you realize the only, think about this? 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:26.240 The only thing, the only thing that was burned off of Shadrach, Meshach, and Bednego. 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:28.799 See if you remember your Bible stories. 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:31.840 The only thing that was burned off was what? 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:34.159 The ropes. 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:36.480 That's it. 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:44.639 Not a hair, not a not even an inch of clothing was burned, not even smoke on them. 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:46.000 The ropes. 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:46.879 Why? 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:51.200 The ropes were what the world put on them. 00:12:53.840 --> 00:13:01.840 So a lot of times in our brokenness and in our fiery furnaces, God has to break us to get all that worldly mess out of us. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:03.200 Can I get an amen? 00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:13.360 Because we get caught up in our worldly pursuits, I'm guilty. 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:16.320 Instead of God's pursuits. 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:18.799 And God can use good things. 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:25.600 I mean, excuse me, Satan can use good things to get us off the right and best path. 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:30.720 Nothing's wrong with sports if it's put in the right perspective. 00:13:31.679 --> 00:13:34.399 But sometimes the sports becomes to God. 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:39.200 Nothing's wrong with hunting and fishing and golfing. 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:40.720 I'm gonna just put everybody in there. 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:43.679 And if I miss one, raise your hand and tell me what you like. 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:46.080 Pickleball. 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:47.120 Pickleball. 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:53.759 Pickleball's exercise. 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:55.600 But guess what? 00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:57.440 Exercise can be a God. 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:03.200 I know a lot of people put more time exercising than they do studying God's word. 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:15.279 So what I'm saying is, all these things God sometimes has to break us to get our attention and put our attitude and our perspective back on the right thing. 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:23.200 And the right thing is seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these other things shall be added unto you. 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:24.320 Amen? 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:28.399 So that's what he's talking about. 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:29.759 Look at what he said. 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:37.200 Look at Psalms 119, verse 67 and 71, and then we're going to look at Job 16 and 12. 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:45.039 These are two of the most famous men in the Bible, and look at how God taught them diligently in this situation. 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:46.799 Look at what David said. 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:50.799 In Psalms 119, verse 67 and 71. 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:51.840 Notice what he said. 00:14:52.159 --> 00:14:55.039 Before I was afflicted, uh oh. 00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:57.279 Read that with me. 00:14:57.600 --> 00:15:00.399 Before I was afflicted, what did it say? 00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:02.240 Uh-oh. 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:03.679 Uh-oh. 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:05.200 Uh-oh. 00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:07.200 See, he was comfortable. 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:09.039 He was having a good time. 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:10.960 He was doing his own thing. 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:13.039 And the problem, though, that was it. 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:15.679 He was doing his own thing instead of God's thing. 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:20.879 So David literally said, Before I was afflicted, I went astray. 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:23.200 But then notice what he says. 00:15:23.840 --> 00:15:26.559 But now have I kept thy word. 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:29.039 Now, now what? 00:15:29.360 --> 00:15:32.639 After he had been afflicted, after God had to break him. 00:15:32.799 --> 00:15:34.399 And then look at verse 71. 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:41.919 And verse 71 says, It is good for me that I have been what? 00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:44.159 That I what? 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:46.799 May learn your statues. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:51.519 See, God breaks us to bless us, to teach us. 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:55.200 Amen? 00:15:55.840 --> 00:15:56.960 Is that not good? 00:15:57.200 --> 00:15:58.639 Well, let me show you what Job said. 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:00.559 Remember, Job, he lost everything. 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:04.000 And his three friends show up and try to tell him there's sin in his life. 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:07.840 Don't you just love sister fluffy heads and deacon potato heads. 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:11.759 They always show up to tell you what you're doing wrong. 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:14.000 Or what you ought to do. 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:16.960 And every church has them. 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:21.360 I don't care how big, how small, they're there. 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:22.399 And that's okay. 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:23.039 You know why? 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:26.399 God uses sister fluffy heads and deacon potato heads. 00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:28.000 To teach us. 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:31.519 So what I'm saying, what's this? 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:32.559 Look what Job said. 00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:34.639 Oh, this is this is really good. 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:37.279 Look at Job 16, verse 12. 00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:39.840 Job said, I was at ease. 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:40.480 Uh-oh. 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:45.360 You know what's wrong with most Christians today are at ease at Zion. 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:51.360 He says that I'm at ease. 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:54.080 But now watch what he says. 00:16:54.399 --> 00:17:01.679 But he, he is in reference to God, had broken me asunder. 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:06.720 He hath also, I didn't like this next phrase. 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:13.039 You know, it's one thing to be broken, but sometimes we're so stubborn God just has to grab you by the neck. 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:15.920 Look at what he said. 00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:16.960 Look at what he said. 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:24.240 He has also taken me by my neck and shaken me to pieces and set me up for his mark. 00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:27.519 Danny Lovett, listen to me. 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:31.680 Do you realize you're on the wrong path, boy? 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:36.160 Don't you realize what you're doing is wrong? 00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:39.920 Wow. 00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:46.400 Can you relate sometimes to these two men? 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:49.839 Has your life ever been shattered? 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:52.480 Like a glass bottle? 00:17:52.960 --> 00:17:55.759 Do you realize when a glass, is that me going off? 00:17:55.839 --> 00:17:56.559 That's not me. 00:17:56.720 --> 00:18:04.400 Hey, hey, do you realize when a glass bottle is shattered or a cup, glass cup, it is useless? 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:08.559 Can't hold anything, can't drink anything out of it. 00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:11.039 All it's good for is a throw away. 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:14.880 Sweep it up in a desk pan and throw it away. 00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:16.240 That's it. 00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:17.519 That's all it's used for. 00:18:17.759 --> 00:18:19.359 Have you ever felt that way? 00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:25.279 Do you feel like this now, possibly, watching online or here? 00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:35.039 That you know, there's just you feel useless, you don't, you feel like, you know, nobody cares, nobody cares about you, nobody wants to help you. 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:38.240 I mean, are you are you I call it, and I'm good at this. 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:40.400 Are you having a pity party? 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:45.920 I can have the pity party with the best of them. 00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:52.160 The only one who cares about when you have a pity party is your dog. 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:54.480 They'll come lick you and love you anyway. 00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:59.039 My my wife just says, get over it. 00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:01.519 Go to the word, get on your knees. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:03.519 Do you feel? 00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:10.240 If so, let me encourage you and me by saying, here we go. 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:12.240 Number two, get ready to write it down. 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:13.599 Man, this is good. 00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:15.200 Encourage you by saying this. 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:15.920 Here it is. 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:18.640 That there are blessings. 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:21.039 This is gonna help you. 00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:24.160 There are blessings from brokenness. 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:32.240 That will help you next time you get in a situation where God's dealing with you. 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:35.599 There are blessings, say that with me, church. 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:39.119 There are blessings from brokenness. 00:19:39.440 --> 00:19:39.920 Amen? 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:41.759 Is that not good? 00:19:42.559 --> 00:19:46.079 There is blessingness from brokenness. 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:49.119 And that is so, so good. 00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:55.359 As a shepherd, you know, I I studied sheepology. 00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:00.880 I really have. 00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:02.480 I've studied sheep. 00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:08.319 I used to tell the preacher boys when we'd study, I said, we're gonna study sheepology this week. 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:10.799 And they'd look at me like I'm crazy. 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:14.640 I'd say, Don't you understand that you and I are gonna be shepherd? 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:17.680 We're gonna be shepherds of sheep. 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:22.319 And if you're gonna be a shepherd of your sheep, you ought to know your sheep. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:23.519 Amen. 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:26.720 Sheep like to go astray. 00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:31.519 Well, nobody said anything on that, did you? 00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:33.119 I'm gonna try that again. 00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:36.400 We sheep like to go astray. 00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:37.759 Oh me. 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:41.599 We're good at it. 00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:46.319 Doesn't take much to get us to wander off. 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:48.960 Oh, it's raining today. 00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:50.480 You can't go to church today. 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:54.960 It's amazing. 00:20:55.119 --> 00:20:57.359 You can't go to church, but you can go fishing. 00:20:58.079 --> 00:20:58.720 Hello? 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:06.799 I'm not gonna get legalistic on you. 00:21:07.119 --> 00:21:08.319 Now watch. 00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:11.519 We go astray very easily. 00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:16.960 Some go astray more often than others. 00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:26.799 Come on! Do you know what a shepherd would do if a sheep keeps running away? 00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:29.920 That's exactly right, Baron. 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:31.440 He breaks his leg. 00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:36.240 It's a clean break. 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:38.880 He knows what he's doing. 00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:40.480 And then he mends it. 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:44.799 He puts it back in a they didn't have cast back then. 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:47.279 But and you know what he does? 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:50.160 Wait, and you think, oh, that's horrible. 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:53.839 You know what he does with that sheep after he breaks the leg and splints it? 00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:59.519 He takes that sheep and he puts it around his neck, and so all day long, eight to ten hours. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:05.039 That sheep's right there by that shepherd's heart and everything. 00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:10.559 That shepherd loves that sheep so much. 00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:18.319 That he doesn't want that sheep to wander and be eaten by wolves or wild dogs. 00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:23.920 So what that sheep thinks is horrible is a blessing. 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:33.359 Because that shepherd is shaving saving that sheep's life. 00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:57.759 So the next time you get broken, remember there's a shepherd called the Great Shepherd, the chief shepherd, that loves you so much that he's breaking you so that he can draw you closer to him. 00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:07.519 And teach you what he wants you to learn and know about him. 00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:16.160 And it's amazing that after the leg of that sheep mends, you know what? 00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:19.039 The sheep never wanders off again. 00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:21.839 Powerful. 00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:23.920 Powerful. 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:26.559 Oh, that's good. 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:29.440 Man, that's good. 00:23:29.599 --> 00:23:30.480 Thank you, Lord. 00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:31.759 Thank you, Father. 00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:34.799 And letter A. 00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:46.000 God does not break us to impair us, just like with that little lamb's leg. 00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:50.319 But He breaks us to improve us. 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:55.440 Man, that's good. 00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:57.440 Thank you, Father. 00:23:57.839 --> 00:23:59.839 I was doing research on this point. 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:11.279 And I thought about as the oar is broken by the miner to get to the goal, God breaks us to bring the gold out in us. 00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:12.640 Is that not good? 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:15.359 That's good. 00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:16.000 Thank you. 00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:17.119 Jesus. 00:24:17.839 --> 00:24:19.680 But I found an article. 00:24:20.400 --> 00:24:25.359 Victor and Mildred Gortell's. 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:28.640 I don't even know if I pronounced that last name right. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:35.599 But they did a study entitled Cradles. 00:24:35.839 --> 00:24:38.079 Now listen, of eminence. 00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:43.759 Cradles, babies born of eminence. 00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:47.759 It was about the home upbringing, are you ready for this? 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:54.960 Of 300 very successful people who made it to the top. 00:24:56.079 --> 00:25:00.319 Their study included folks like, Ready for This? 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:01.839 Franklin D. 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:27.359 Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Winston Churchill, Albert Switzer, Clara Barton, Gandhi, Einstein, and the findings of the study reveal three-fourths of the children. 00:25:28.720 --> 00:25:45.839 Three-fourths of the children were troubled, ready, by poverty, a broken home, or by rejecting overpossessive dominating parents. 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:58.960 Physical handicaps, such as blindness, deafness, and crippled limbs, characterized twenty-five percent of these 300 folks. 00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:03.839 Yet they did not let their handicaps deter them from their success. 00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:06.480 Wow, from their goals. 00:26:07.119 --> 00:26:08.079 What's this? 00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:21.839 Seventy-four out of eighty-five writers, authors of fiction or drama came from homes of intense psychological drama and conflict. 00:26:23.200 --> 00:26:28.240 Sixteen of twenty poets came from homes like this, also. 00:26:29.119 --> 00:26:35.279 These people compensated for their weakness in one area by exceeding in another area. 00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:40.319 Their brokenness brought out the best in them. 00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:41.920 Wow. 00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:44.000 That's powerful, folks. 00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:47.200 And that's from a secular perspective. 00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:49.440 That's powerful. 00:26:50.079 --> 00:26:51.440 Unbelievable. 00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:56.960 So B in your outline. 00:26:57.279 --> 00:27:02.240 God breaks us to bring out the best in us. 00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:05.119 I thought about this. 00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:09.839 If you take your problems to the Lord, that's normal. 00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:12.880 We all take our problems to the Lord. 00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:18.880 But when you give your problems to the Lord, that's spiritual. 00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:20.799 Big difference. 00:27:21.200 --> 00:27:23.680 Don't take them to the Lord, give them to the Lord. 00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:35.119 And that's what Peter meant in 1 Peter 5, 7, when he said, casting all your cares, your problems, your troubles upon him because he cares for you. 00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:37.039