Broken and Sinful People

I love broken people. I love those who find themselves in seemingly no-way-out circumstances of darkness and despair, even though they were full of hope just the day before. I love those who fall, fail, and stumble even though they know better- and hate themselves for it. I love those who are overtaken by sorrow, even though they can’t quite put a finger on why they feel such a way. I love broken people. I am a broken person.

I love sinful people. I love people who are so sinful in their hearts that they fear great embarrassment and shame if their shameful sins ever “get out”. I love those who want to hate their sin, then give in even further to that great residue of indwelling sin. I love those who become calloused in their sin-only later to realize their callousness and repent. I love those who repent, yet fall again. I love sinful people. I am a sinful person.

I love Jesus. I love His gospel. I love His peace. I love His assurance. Despite my brokenness and sinfulness, His gospel is a testimony to His grace….His grace extended to those who are broken, sinful, and despair greatly to be free….realizing they may do nothing to save themselves.

Sinful men like David who, even as a “strong” Christian, coveted and lusted after his neighbor’s wife. Who then engaged in lies and cover-up to save face, thinking he could evade the all-seeing eye of the Almighty. Who then committed murder of a man who was one of his most faithful servants. If this wasn’t the height of sinfulness and callousness, I ask you brothers, what is?

Sinful men like Peter, who was in Christ’s inner circle. Who, by God’s revelation, knew and confessed Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Who boldly, loudly, and confidently proclaimed his unfettered loyalty to Christ to the end– so much so that he took up sword against those who tried to arrest Jesus. And yet, despite all this “progress”, he denied the Lord, and cursed in such context.

Sinful men like Josh, who was converted at the young age of nine. Who, by God’s graciousness, has been passed through untold sufferings, knowing his perseverance was all due to God’s good pleasure. Who boldly, loudly, and confidently confesses his love for the Lord and His Word. And yet, despite the remembrance of all that God has done in his life, who treads lightly on the commands of the Lord and presumes upon the very grace of God that saved Him.

I’m glad God loves broken and sinful people.

Here am I, Lord, broken and sinful.

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Josh Hicks, Chloë's Dad
Attending CCRPC, Member of TRBC
Reformers & Puritans -lllll- Puritan Pub
Board Rules - Signature Rules - Suggestion Box

I got get the feeling we would be good friends.

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Tom Mitchell
Opp, AL
Member of First Presbyterian Church PCA Florala, AL

Open profaneness is the broad dirty way which leads to hell
--but trusting in religious duties is a sure way, though a cleaner way to hell. ~ Thomas Brooks
www.myspace.com/tom_mitchell1960
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=607055102

Are we to be healed in this life?

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My name is Davis. I am the Lord's.

I gather with saints at Bethel Presbyterian Church here in Lake Charles, LA, where I live.

[b][SIZE="3"]"[/SIZE][/b][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]I dwell in the high and holy place, also with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones[/COLOR].[b][SIZE="3"]"[/SIZE][/b] -Our Father, the Lord God (Isaiah 57:15)

So much of that describes me quite well. God bless you, Josh.

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Scott - Dallas, Texas - PCA

"It is not what a lawyer tells me I may do; but what humanity, reason, and justice tell me I ought to do." - Edmund Burke

What he said...

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Donald Jacobs
Marysville. WA
Cascade Church (CRCNA)

Cum vero infirmor tunc potens sum.

I have been told that we will not be entirely healed in this life. To some degree we will be, but not entirely until the glorified state.

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The man who is disposed to think of his sin as a great calamity, rather than as a heinous crime, is not likely either to reverence God or to respect His law. - John Kennedy, 1873
Meg
Blog
Member, Intown Presbyterian Church,PCA, Portland, OR

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

to that Josh, may God continue to break us so that he may glorify Himself through our brokeness!

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"I have sinned against the LORD......The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die."
-2 Samuel 12:13

Alex Bohn (Blog)
Member-Texarkana Reformed Baptist Church
Texarkana, Border of Arkansas and Texas
Bondservant In Training

The process of sanctification will be ongoing until that final day of glorification...only then will we be completely healed, Brother. Press on.

I've never read anything so close to home. I thought i was reading about myself in the first paragraphs. As alex said- Amen!

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" The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is my stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1


Ian Watson
Member, Texarkana Reformed Baptist Chruch
Texarkana, Arkansas

There's no humilty without brokeness.

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Nathan Olaf Brandal
First Baptist Church of Kirkland

"Man is nothing: he hath a free will to go to hell, but none to go to heaven, till God worketh in him to will and to do his good pleasure"
GEORGE WHITEFIELD TO JOHN WESLEY

My Blog

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K. Joel Gilliard
Theologically Correct dot Com
http://www.theologicallycorrect.com
Sunday School Teacher (Elementary 2), Grace Communion Church (EFCA) formerly Gaithersburg Community Church
http://www.gchurch.org
The Blog: THINK! - Wrestlin' With Wordz -N- Ideaz
The Upcoming CD: The Definition

This was excellent, Joshua.

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Asa Julian Myspace Blog
Grace Bible Church

Sometimes, when I see some of the worst characters in the street, I feel as if my heart must burst forth in tears of gratitude that God has never let me act as they have done! I have thought, "If God had left me alone, and had not touched me by His grace, what a great sinner I would have been!" - Charles Spurgeon

in this life? Yes,....but not perfectly, and it will only come from embracing the reality of Josh's expression.....

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WWW.SURFWRITERS.BLOGSPOT.COM
Trevor
Christian/Husband/Father/Writer/Teacher--
--In that order.
Bethany Church, Sierra Madre, CA.
God is my King
"You've got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmitive, and don't mess with Mr. in-between." Tony Bennett.

Thanks, Asa. I'm glad it was edifying.

Psalm 51:16-17 (The Message)

Going through the motions doesn't please you,
a flawless performance is nothing to you.

I learned God-worship
when my pride was shattered.

Heart-shattered lives ready for love
don't for a moment escape God's notice.

Wow!
And I thought it was just me!
(I'm glad to see that I'm not the only "failure" in the Christian life, because my other non-Reformed friends are all doing super-fantastic!)

Thanks for sharing Good News, Josh!

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Christopher Hinton
Northland, A Church Distributed;
Altamonte Springs, FL

It is my prayer everyday that me and all of God's people look not unto ourselves and how 'spiritual' we feel for our joy, but to the finished work of Christ. I will stumble. I will fall. My flesh will draw me to things that take the place of Jesus in my life. I will be chastised by the Almighty. But I will be lifted up when He sees fit, by a God who truly does love me unconditionally as His own and cares for me, and finds no blemish in me. To the praise and glory of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ.