100:00:00,400 –> 00:00:05,500Wait a minute, your sins aretoo great200:00:05,500 –> 00:00:08,740and your wounds are too deep300:00:08,740 –> 00:00:12,120and your faith is too small400:00:12,120 –> 00:00:15,780Satan is the great accuser500:00:15,780 –> 00:00:20,120and he will tell you that the hidden path to a transformed life is somehow600:00:20,120 –> 00:00:21,459beyond you700:00:21,459 –> 00:00:24,559and you need to know how to answer him.800:00:24,559 –> 00:00:27,799Welcome to Open The Bible with pastor Colin Smith. I’m900:00:28,100 –> 00:00:31,400Pastor David Pick. Glad you could join us today and Colin, many of us1000:00:31,400 –> 00:00:33,700have probably found ourselves believing that1100:00:33,700 –> 00:00:37,619lie at some point, but some may be struggling with it right now1200:00:37,619 –> 00:00:41,240if you’ve done what I’ve done and if you knew how great my sins are1300:00:41,240 –> 00:00:45,439if you knew how small my faith is I don’t know that there’s any1400:00:45,439 –> 00:00:48,740hope for me. And you know Satans great lie1500:00:48,740 –> 00:00:52,560is to say that your brokenheartedness means your at the1600:00:52,560 –> 00:00:56,380end of the road, that there’s no future for you and actually what the Bible says1700:00:56,480 –> 00:00:59,299is when you have a broken heart you’re at the beginning of the road1800:00:59,299 –> 00:01:02,840because scripture says that God will not1900:01:02,840 –> 00:01:05,980despise a broken and a contrite heart2000:01:05,980 –> 00:01:09,440and it gets even better in fact God makes this promise that He will actually2100:01:09,440 –> 00:01:10,019come2200:01:10,019 –> 00:01:13,919and live with the person who has a contrite heart2300:01:13,919 –> 00:01:18,220in fact Christ has been sent into the world for the broken hearted to2400:01:18,220 –> 00:01:20,339bind up the broken hearted and2500:01:20,339 –> 00:01:24,500Jesus says when he comes to the very first of blessings. He says blessed are2600:01:24,540 –> 00:01:29,360the poor in spirit the broken hearted for theirs is the kingdom have heaven2700:01:29,360 –> 00:01:32,940so if you have a sense of your own need before God today2800:01:32,940 –> 00:01:36,559you are not at the end of the road you’re at the beginning and today is a2900:01:36,559 –> 00:01:39,459marvelous message of hope from the Bible for you3000:01:39,459 –> 00:01:44,139well join us today if you can in Psalm 51 as we begin the message3100:01:44,139 –> 00:01:48,339the bruised read and the broken heart here is Pastor Colin3200:01:48,339 –> 00:01:52,239now the message today is the last in our series3300:01:52,279 –> 00:01:55,720entitled repentance the hidden path to3400:01:55,720 –> 00:02:00,599a transformed life and we’ve been learning together that repentance3500:02:00,599 –> 00:02:05,000is turning from as much as you know of your sin to give as much as you know of3600:02:05,000 –> 00:02:06,160yourself to3700:02:06,160 –> 00:02:10,639as much as you know of your God. And that means that in its very nature3800:02:10,639 –> 00:02:13,399repentance is something that continues3900:02:13,399 –> 00:02:17,160and grows and deepens throughout the entire4000:02:17,899 –> 00:02:22,960Now that raises a question that4100:02:22,960 –> 00:02:26,839will focus our time together this morning and it’s simply this4200:02:26,839 –> 00:02:30,639are you satisfied4300:02:30,639 –> 00:02:34,119with your repentance?4400:02:34,119 –> 00:02:38,460Are you satisfied with your repentance?4500:02:38,460 –> 00:02:42,759Now if you are a true Christian4600:02:42,759 –> 00:02:45,820your answer to that question must be no4700:02:45,820 –> 00:02:50,759because it is in the very nature of repentance that it continues4800:02:50,759 –> 00:02:54,559throughout a Christian’s life, that it advances4900:02:54,559 –> 00:02:58,360in our experience so if you’re satisfied with your repentance you’ve not5000:02:58,360 –> 00:02:59,960understood what repentance is5100:02:59,960 –> 00:03:06,960or you’re not yet a Christian. There’s more of God you’ll say that I want to5200:03:06,960 –> 00:03:07,759discover5300:03:07,759 –> 00:03:14,160if you’re a real believer. There’s more of sin that I still want to conquer5400:03:14,160 –> 00:03:18,500and there’s more of myself that I still want5500:03:18,500 –> 00:03:22,080to offer to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ5600:03:22,080 –> 00:03:25,839a true Christian is never satisfied5700:03:25,839 –> 00:03:29,080with his or her repentance5800:03:29,080 –> 00:03:32,399and so that leads me to a second question that’s very important5900:03:32,399 –> 00:03:35,919how then do you avoid being crushed6000:03:36,199 –> 00:03:39,000because that’s where6100:03:39,000 –> 00:03:44,179we might be in danger of going. I think we’ve needed the series6200:03:44,179 –> 00:03:49,440I felt God’s stirring my own heart challenging searching humbling6300:03:49,440 –> 00:03:52,559many have spoken of a sense of God6400:03:52,559 –> 00:03:57,679speaking in these days but whenever God6500:03:57,679 –> 00:04:00,800is at work we need to be aware of what our6600:04:00,800 –> 00:04:05,320enemy has as it were up his sleeve and6700:04:05,960 –> 00:04:10,820when you begin to get serious about repentance about really pursuing6800:04:10,820 –> 00:04:14,460this hidden path to a transformed life when you find the path6900:04:14,460 –> 00:04:18,299Satan will seek to come to you this way you say now wait a minute7000:04:18,299 –> 00:04:23,299your sins are too great and your wounds are too deep7100:04:23,299 –> 00:04:26,720and your faith is too small7200:04:26,720 –> 00:04:30,220Satan is the great accuser7300:04:30,220 –> 00:04:34,459and he will tell you that the hidden path to a transformed life is somehow7400:04:34,679 –> 00:04:35,679beyond you7500:04:35,679 –> 00:04:39,220and you need to know how to answer him7600:04:39,220 –> 00:04:42,399you need to know how to pursue repentance7700:04:42,399 –> 00:04:46,399in a way that you are not crushed on the path7800:04:46,399 –> 00:04:50,500and that’s our focus and it’s a very important one7900:04:50,500 –> 00:04:54,260in this last study in our series today8000:04:54,260 –> 00:04:58,480maybe you can feel this battle going on in some degree in your own soul8100:04:58,480 –> 00:05:01,920already do you find yourself sometimes saying why after8200:05:01,959 –> 00:05:05,500all the privileges that I have had am I such a weak8300:05:05,500 –> 00:05:09,260pathetic ineffective Christian? Do you ever find yourself saying that?8400:05:09,260 –> 00:05:14,559why will all my opportunities have I not grown more than I have8500:05:14,559 –> 00:05:20,279and you know maybe this is one reason why we instinctively shy away from the8600:05:20,279 –> 00:05:21,700subject of repentance8700:05:21,700 –> 00:05:26,500because we feel that it might leave us crushed and8800:05:26,500 –> 00:05:29,540maybe some of us are there right now why am I not a8900:05:29,660 –> 00:05:33,920better a man? Why am I not a more Godly woman?9000:05:33,920 –> 00:05:37,140why am I such a half-hearted Christian? And9100:05:37,140 –> 00:05:42,540you feel crushed. Now that’s where David was9200:05:42,540 –> 00:05:46,420in Psalm 51 and verse eight and I’d encourage you to9300:05:46,420 –> 00:05:49,660turn to Psalm 51 if you would we’re going to be that9400:05:49,660 –> 00:05:52,779and also in Isaiah chapter 429500:05:52,779 –> 00:05:56,019we begin in Psalm 51 though and verse9600:05:56,239 –> 00:05:59,700eight David says let me here9700:05:59,700 –> 00:06:03,019joy and gladness will you restore for the joy9800:06:03,019 –> 00:06:06,459to me again and then he says this let9900:06:06,459 –> 00:06:10,640the bones you have crushed rejoice10000:06:10,640 –> 00:06:13,880the bones you10100:06:13,880 –> 00:06:17,540have crushed… who crushed him?10200:06:17,540 –> 00:06:20,720Well he’s speaking to God, isn’t he?10300:06:20,720 –> 00:06:25,079God crushed him. left the bones10400:06:25,859 –> 00:06:28,540you have crushed… rejoice… God crushed him10500:06:28,540 –> 00:06:33,420over his sense but who healed him10600:06:33,420 –> 00:06:37,320who brought him joy and gladness? Answer, God healed him10700:06:37,320 –> 00:06:42,079God restored, to him, the joy of his salvation10800:06:42,079 –> 00:06:46,839and so what we learn here is that there is a special and a very wonderful10900:06:46,839 –> 00:06:48,600ministry of the Holy Spirit11000:06:48,600 –> 00:06:52,239to heal your heart when it is broken11100:06:53,059 –> 00:06:57,160to comfort your spirit11200:06:57,160 –> 00:07:03,440where it is made tender because you have seen how far you are still to go11300:07:03,440 –> 00:07:10,579in the Christian life. So if you feel a sense of your own failure today11400:07:10,579 –> 00:07:14,679if you feel a frustration by the limits of your own progress then11500:07:14,679 –> 00:07:19,660God’s Word is especially for you today11600:07:20,239 –> 00:07:22,040We’ve got to pause the message briefly there11700:07:22,040 –> 00:07:25,040but we’ll be back very shortly so please do stay with us11800:07:25,380 –> 00:07:27,640you’re listening to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith11900:07:27,640 –> 00:07:31,320in a message called The Bruised Reid and Broken Heart12000:07:31,320 –> 00:07:36,200it’s part of our series Repentance the hidden path to a transformed life12100:07:36,200 –> 00:07:41,260and if you missed any of the series so far or if you ever want to go back and listen again12200:07:41,260 –> 00:07:46,420you can do that by coming online to our website Openthebible.org.uk12300:07:46,420 –> 00:07:50,220or you can find us as a podcast on all the main podcast sites12400:07:50,279 –> 00:07:55,220search for Open The Bible UK and subscribe if you want to receive regular updates12500:07:55,679 –> 00:07:58,959back to the message now here again is Pastor Colin12600:07:59,399 –> 00:08:04,760I want us to see the grace and the gentleness and the patience of Jesus in the Scriptures12700:08:05,480 –> 00:08:09,500and we’re going to see that particularly in three beautiful pictures12800:08:09,640 –> 00:08:14,059and I hope they’ll be pictures that will stay in our minds in our hearts12900:08:14,339 –> 00:08:17,959the first from Psalm 51 is the picture of the broken heart13000:08:18,000 –> 00:08:22,359and then from Isaiah Chapter 42 the picture of the bruised reed and13100:08:23,220 –> 00:08:29,619Then from the same chapter the smoky fire and may God speak to us and bring us13200:08:30,440 –> 00:08:32,460Comfort and strength and encouragement13300:08:33,559 –> 00:08:35,559through his word today13400:08:35,659 –> 00:08:38,559Psalm 51 then the broken heart13500:08:39,099 –> 00:08:40,520Will you look at verse?13600:08:40,520 –> 00:08:46,21917 where David says the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit of13700:08:47,020 –> 00:08:51,460Broken and contrite heart O God, you will not13800:08:52,179 –> 00:08:59,039despise and we’re learning here first, then that God will not despise a13900:08:59,780 –> 00:09:00,960broken14000:09:00,960 –> 00:09:02,900heart14100:09:02,900 –> 00:09:04,900What is a broken heart?14200:09:06,179 –> 00:09:10,280John Bunyan wrote a whole book on this one verse and14300:09:11,039 –> 00:09:13,039he points out the14400:09:13,260 –> 00:09:14,700Parallel between14500:09:14,700 –> 00:09:20,059David’s statement about the crushed bones or the broken bones in verse 8 and14600:09:20,500 –> 00:09:23,900the broken heart in verse 17 and14700:09:25,340 –> 00:09:30,299Bunyan makes the point that these are actually two ways of speaking about or depicting the same thing14800:09:31,140 –> 00:09:36,919When David says let the bones you have crushed rejoice. He doesn’t mean that God somehow came down from heaven and14900:09:37,760 –> 00:09:40,780broke his arms and his legs though that did happen on one occasion15000:09:41,179 –> 00:09:44,840Remember with Jacob and the sockets thing with his hip, but that didn’t happen today15100:09:44,840 –> 00:09:48,919But what he’s saying is that the experience of the broken heart15200:09:49,260 –> 00:09:54,840Feels like the experience of broken bones now how many of us have broken a bone some place in life?15300:09:55,280 –> 00:09:57,140You’ve broken an arm15400:09:57,140 –> 00:09:58,780broken a leg15500:09:58,780 –> 00:10:00,760something worse15600:10:00,760 –> 00:10:02,760What’s it like when you break your bones?15700:10:03,739 –> 00:10:05,739Well you experience great pain15800:10:07,460 –> 00:10:09,460Secondly you feel useless15900:10:09,739 –> 00:10:12,520Never see the guy with a broken leg on the side of the16000:10:13,340 –> 00:10:16,260Basketball court, and he’s watching the game16100:10:16,260 –> 00:10:23,260He desperate to get on and play, but he can’t because his bones broken being in that position watching the team you feel so useless16200:10:24,280 –> 00:10:25,940pain16300:10:25,940 –> 00:10:27,940Can’t do what I want to do16400:10:28,780 –> 00:10:33,940And you sure know that you need the help of a doctor one thing you can’t do for yourself is set your own bones, right?16500:10:34,020 –> 00:10:36,020Right16600:10:36,039 –> 00:10:43,460Now that’s exactly what the broken heart is like when your heart is broken you experience great pain over who you are and what you have16700:10:43,460 –> 00:10:44,539done16800:10:44,539 –> 00:10:46,539You feel useless to God16900:10:48,080 –> 00:10:51,380You know that you desperately need help that’s what it’s like17000:10:53,719 –> 00:10:58,159But God is telling us here that contrary to all that we may feel17100:10:59,059 –> 00:11:02,219The broken heart is actually a good thing17200:11:02,859 –> 00:11:08,020Bunyan puts it this way writing in in the kind of phrasing of his time17300:11:08,359 –> 00:11:11,520He said that the broken heart is an17400:11:12,200 –> 00:11:16,719excellent thing in the eyes of God the broken heart is an17500:11:17,280 –> 00:11:24,580Excellent thing in the eyes of God now immediately some of our brows will furrow and say how in all the world can that possibly?17600:11:24,580 –> 00:11:26,580Be let me give you three reasons17700:11:27,000 –> 00:11:33,200Why the broken heart is an excellent thing in the eyes of God because in the Bible God gives specific17800:11:33,840 –> 00:11:37,619Promises that are directed only to those who experience17900:11:38,099 –> 00:11:46,099The broken heart the contrite spirit the first you’ll find in Isaiah chapter 57 and verse 1518000:11:46,099 –> 00:11:52,000I think it will be worth your while to turn to these scriptures and to note them so that we can hold them in our18100:11:52,380 –> 00:11:54,380memories and come back to them again18200:11:55,200 –> 00:11:56,679Isiah chapter18300:11:56,679 –> 00:12:01,76057 and verse 15. Here’s the first great promise to a person who has a broken heart18400:12:02,539 –> 00:12:05,539If you have a broken heart, it is an excellent thing because18500:12:06,400 –> 00:12:09,559God will live with you18600:12:10,840 –> 00:12:13,080now look at this extraordinary statement18700:12:14,200 –> 00:12:16,219Isaiah 57 and verse 1518800:12:16,219 –> 00:12:22,659This is what the high and lofty one says he who lives forever and whose name is Holy18900:12:23,359 –> 00:12:25,359Here’s what he says I19000:12:26,419 –> 00:12:30,280Live in a high and holy place19100:12:32,179 –> 00:12:34,179But also19200:12:35,500 –> 00:12:39,239with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit19300:12:41,239 –> 00:12:43,239This is an amazing statement19400:12:44,000 –> 00:12:50,780The high and Holy One who in Habit’s eternity the living God says I live in heaven19500:12:51,780 –> 00:12:56,440But also I live with the person19600:12:57,419 –> 00:13:01,059Who has a contrite and lowly spirit?19700:13:02,679 –> 00:13:05,219you see why it’s an excellent thing to19800:13:07,039 –> 00:13:09,039Come to a point19900:13:10,179 –> 00:13:12,179You gain a spirit20000:13:13,260 –> 00:13:16,359where you see your own need and20100:13:17,340 –> 00:13:20,760God says I’m going to hang around with you20200:13:21,659 –> 00:13:24,760I’m going to move into your life now20300:13:26,059 –> 00:13:32,039I’m going to live with you. I’m going to choose you as my companion cuz you’re the kind of person20400:13:32,700 –> 00:13:34,700You’re the kind of place20500:13:34,940 –> 00:13:37,359Where I can build my kingdom20600:13:38,719 –> 00:13:42,099So if you have a broken heart and the next contrite spirit20700:13:43,340 –> 00:13:45,340it’s an excellent thing because20800:13:45,919 –> 00:13:48,599God who may have been very far from you says20900:13:49,059 –> 00:13:50,099that21000:13:50,099 –> 00:13:52,099He will come and live21100:13:52,419 –> 00:13:54,419with you21200:13:55,479 –> 00:14:02,359Here’s the second promise and they’re kind of cumulative termed over just a few pages now within Isaiah chapter 50 and 6121300:14:02,359 –> 00:14:04,359I’m sorry a chapter 6121400:14:04,679 –> 00:14:10,739Second reason why the broken heart is an excellent thing because Jesus Christ is sent for you21500:14:11,179 –> 00:14:15,200Now Isaiah 61 is a very important passage in the Old Testament21600:14:15,679 –> 00:14:20,260Because this is the passage that Jesus read when he launched his ministry21700:14:20,679 –> 00:14:23,380And it’s recorded for us in Luke’s gospel in chapter21800:14:23,380 –> 00:14:29,299Four he read from these verses that Isaiah had penned under the inspiration of the Spirit21900:14:29,719 –> 00:14:31,719Hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus22000:14:31,799 –> 00:14:35,979but he’s speaking about the Messiah why he would come and what he would do and22100:14:36,159 –> 00:14:44,359he says in Isaiah chapter 61 in verse one that the spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me that is on the Messiah because22200:14:45,260 –> 00:14:51,080the Lord has anointed me the Messiah to preach good news to the poor and22300:14:51,559 –> 00:14:58,340What is the first dimension of what that means look at it here? He has sent me22400:14:59,359 –> 00:15:01,359to bind up22500:15:01,760 –> 00:15:03,760the broken-hearted22600:15:04,880 –> 00:15:09,299So you ask the question, wh y was Jesus Christ sent into the world?22700:15:10,859 –> 00:15:12,859What did he come to do?22800:15:12,859 –> 00:15:14,440and22900:15:14,440 –> 00:15:16,599Isaiah is telling us Messiah’s23000:15:17,359 –> 00:15:20,080specific commission from the father is23100:15:20,479 –> 00:15:26,140That he is sent into the world to bind up the broken-hearted the father sees23200:15:26,960 –> 00:15:32,159broken-hearted people in the world and he says son you go and you go to them23300:15:34,020 –> 00:15:37,940Christ says he has sent me23400:15:38,940 –> 00:15:41,359To bind up you23500:15:42,700 –> 00:15:44,640The broken-hearted23600:15:44,640 –> 00:15:50,380Remember of course, that’s why Jesus said it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick23700:15:51,299 –> 00:15:54,400Which doesn’t mean that only some people need Jesus23800:15:54,400 –> 00:15:55,979What it means is simply this23900:15:55,979 –> 00:16:00,979that the people who benefit from His coming into the world are those who’ve come to see and24000:16:00,979 –> 00:16:07,799Grieve over their own sins people who know that there’s something wrong with them that only Jesus Christ can24100:16:08,000 –> 00:16:13,460Actually put right they cannot fix it by themselves, and if you don’t see that if24200:16:14,020 –> 00:16:18,940You don’t grasp that then the coming of Jesus Christ into the world is really of no benefit to you24300:16:19,039 –> 00:16:23,380Because he came to benefit those who are broken hearted24400:16:24,820 –> 00:16:26,840that is a second reason why a24500:16:28,099 –> 00:16:30,099broken heart is an24600:16:31,219 –> 00:16:33,320Excellent thing in the eyes of God24700:16:34,260 –> 00:16:38,900For where your heart is broken God will live with you and Christ has come for you24800:16:38,900 –> 00:16:42,440And here’s the third thing heaven belongs to you24900:16:43,520 –> 00:16:48,080Matthew chapter 5 and verse 3 over into the new testament the first of the25000:16:48,479 –> 00:16:53,219Beatitudes we call them great statements of Jesus about God’s grace at work in the world25100:16:53,219 –> 00:16:55,880And he says in Matthew chapter 5 in verse 325200:16:56,400 –> 00:16:59,299blessed are the poor in spirit25300:16:59,340 –> 00:17:01,340For theirs is the25400:17:04,719 –> 00:17:06,719Kingdom of heaven25500:17:08,000 –> 00:17:13,079Now to be poor in spirit, of course is just another way of saying broken-hearted and25600:17:14,060 –> 00:17:16,479It’s important to remember Jesus never25700:17:17,180 –> 00:17:19,180exalted poverty25800:17:19,459 –> 00:17:21,760Poverty is a bad thing a terrible thing25900:17:23,219 –> 00:17:26,540But to be poor in spirit is a good thing26000:17:28,060 –> 00:17:29,079To be poor in spirit26100:17:29,119 –> 00:17:33,780poor in spirit means that you recognize that you don’t have26200:17:33,979 –> 00:17:39,160what God demands and you cannot offer what God requires and26300:17:40,060 –> 00:17:46,699The extraordinary thing is that when Jesus says when you realize your own bankruptcy before God26400:17:47,500 –> 00:17:51,359Far from being the end of hope it turns out to be the beginning26500:17:52,260 –> 00:17:57,380Blessed are the poor in spirit. It’s an excellent thing. He’s saying why because26600:17:57,959 –> 00:18:01,839Theirs is the kingdom of heaven26700:18:03,520 –> 00:18:07,140Now it’s very hard to believe this26800:18:08,400 –> 00:18:10,400when your heart is broken26900:18:11,239 –> 00:18:16,640Because when you see your own failure when you see and feel the limits of your own27000:18:16,959 –> 00:18:23,660Progress in the Christian life when you feel a broken heart. You feel unworthy of heaven and27100:18:24,199 –> 00:18:29,800When your heart is broken you feel like your life is not the kind of place27200:18:29,800 –> 00:18:32,079that’s fit for the presence of God you think I27300:18:32,859 –> 00:18:39,640Feel as if I need to be at a distance from him. It’s not appropriate for him to be near to me as I am and27400:18:40,719 –> 00:18:46,280You really feel that you’re just not the kind of person that Jesus Christ is looking for in the world27500:18:46,280 –> 00:18:48,280but27600:18:48,660 –> 00:18:53,979You see, that’s why our faith comes in because faith takes God at his word27700:18:54,959 –> 00:18:58,660Faith comes to the Bible and then comes to God and says, okay27800:19:00,199 –> 00:19:06,219You say that you live with a person who has a contrite spirit, that’s me27900:19:08,280 –> 00:19:14,359You say that you sent your son into the world to bind up a broken-hearted person, that’s me28000:19:14,359 –> 00:19:16,359You28100:19:16,459 –> 00:19:23,979Say that heaven belongs to those who know that they cannot offer what you demand, that’s me a28200:19:25,680 –> 00:19:29,660Broken heart is an excellent thing in the eyes of God28300:19:31,199 –> 00:19:34,199God will not despise28400:19:35,900 –> 00:19:39,959The broken heart and if God will not despise the broken heart28500:19:41,099 –> 00:19:43,040Neither should you28600:19:43,040 –> 00:19:45,040John Bunyan says28700:19:46,439 –> 00:19:48,439Conversion to God is28800:19:49,000 –> 00:19:55,219Not so easy and so smooth a thing as some would have men believe that it is28900:19:56,000 –> 00:19:57,239and29000:19:57,239 –> 00:19:59,239He asks the question29100:19:59,439 –> 00:20:02,760Why is it he asks that conversion is?29200:20:04,239 –> 00:20:07,239Compared to the grafting off a tree29300:20:08,439 –> 00:20:10,520That’s a very powerful picture you see29400:20:11,359 –> 00:20:15,880When you graft a stem onto a root29500:20:15,880 –> 00:20:18,739I used to watch my grandfather doing this in his allotment29600:20:18,739 –> 00:20:24,199he would take roots of roses and stems and he would hybrid them together and so forth and29700:20:24,699 –> 00:20:26,800The way you do it as many of you know29800:20:26,939 –> 00:20:32,219Better than I do you cuts into a part of the root and you cut into part of the stem29900:20:32,219 –> 00:20:36,119And then you bind these open wounds that you have created together30000:20:36,119 –> 00:20:42,859And then you plant the root in the stem so bound and then the character of the root then flows into the stem30100:20:42,859 –> 00:20:48,680And if the the root is for a red rose then that the stem will be a a red rose and so forth30200:20:48,680 –> 00:20:50,680But the key thing is the cut30300:20:50,920 –> 00:20:52,920you wound the stem30400:20:53,859 –> 00:20:55,859you wound the root and30500:20:56,739 –> 00:20:58,739you bind them together and30600:20:59,359 –> 00:21:05,599When wounded root and wounded stem are bound together and planted then the sap from the roots30700:21:06,439 –> 00:21:09,400penetrates the stem bringing it life and30800:21:10,819 –> 00:21:12,819imparting its character30900:21:13,359 –> 00:21:18,319Now if you just take a stem in a root unwounded and bind them together31000:21:19,680 –> 00:21:21,680nothing happens31100:21:21,959 –> 00:21:26,959And you know, I think that helps us understand why some people profess faith and31200:21:27,500 –> 00:21:29,900Have no spiritual life in them31300:21:31,260 –> 00:21:35,880We have reduced conversion to a human decision31400:21:37,380 –> 00:21:44,219We have become used to professions of faith without repentance and that is unbiblical isn’t it31500:21:46,300 –> 00:21:51,459What that’s like is it’s like binding an uncut stem to an uncut roots31600:21:52,180 –> 00:21:57,260Digging a hole in the ground and sticking them there, and you know what happens absolutely nothing31700:21:58,260 –> 00:22:04,140You end up with people who think themselves Christians and yet have no awareness of sin in their lives31800:22:05,219 –> 00:22:09,859No sorrow over it. No great sense of gratitude to God in worship31900:22:11,000 –> 00:22:17,000No evidence of the presence or the life of God within them or the fruit that comes from that life32000:22:17,500 –> 00:22:18,780now friends32100:22:18,780 –> 00:22:25,459This is not true Christianity, is it? And that’s not where one of us wants to be32200:22:27,260 –> 00:22:30,979The broken heart is an excellent thing in the eyes of God32300:22:30,979 –> 00:22:35,619It is the wound into which new life can flow32400:22:36,819 –> 00:22:40,819Well, unfortunately, we’ve got to pause the message there until the next broadcast32500:22:41,000 –> 00:22:46,739You’ve been listening to open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith and a message called the bruised reed and the broken heart32600:22:47,099 –> 00:22:51,500It’s the final part of our series repentance the hidden path to a transformed life32700:22:51,500 –> 00:22:55,939And you can hear the last part of the message in our next broadcast32800:22:55,939 –> 00:22:59,459So I hope you’ll join us for that open. The Bible is supported by our listeners32900:22:59,939 –> 00:23:05,000We’re able to bring you Pastor Colin’s teaching on the radio internet and podcasts33000:23:05,219 –> 00:23:12,359As a result of the generosity of listeners like you. So if you already give to support our work, thank you so much33100:23:12,359 –> 00:23:14,359We do appreciate it33200:23:14,459 –> 00:23:17,880This month when you begin to support open the Bible for the first time33300:23:17,920 –> 00:23:23,660We’d love to say thank you by sending you a copy of Pastor Colin’s brand-new book Grow In Faith33400:23:23,660 –> 00:23:28,839This devotional book is not yet available in the UK. So our offer is very exclusive33500:23:29,579 –> 00:23:33,400Colin what is the one thing that you want people to take away from this book?33600:23:33,400 –> 00:23:37,660Well, this is a book for ordinary Christian. You know, you talk about grow in faith33700:23:37,739 –> 00:23:42,459Someone might think well, you know, I’m no giant of the faith. So that’s probably not for me33800:23:42,640 –> 00:23:45,540Well, you know Jesus spoke on five occasions33900:23:46,579 –> 00:23:48,760about people with little faith34000:23:48,760 –> 00:23:53,520Oh You of little faith and that’s where we start in this book34100:23:53,859 –> 00:23:58,420Grow in faith if you feel that your faith is small, this is exactly34200:23:59,040 –> 00:24:06,500For you. It’s a place from which you can begin to grow and you know, there are two wonderful things about little faith34300:24:07,020 –> 00:24:08,619one is that34400:24:08,699 –> 00:24:10,459Little faith is34500:24:10,459 –> 00:24:13,400Saving faith if it is faith in the Lord34600:24:13,420 –> 00:24:18,800Jesus Christ and the other is that little faith because faith is a living thing is34700:24:18,939 –> 00:24:24,619Faith that really can grow and I think that this book will help people to grow in faith34800:24:24,619 –> 00:24:28,339That’s our hope in our prayer as we’ve been working on it and preparing it34900:24:28,339 –> 00:24:31,660and I hope that it’s going to be a real blessing to you35000:24:31,760 –> 00:24:38,219Well, Pastor Colin’s book grow in faith is our special offer to you this month when you support open the Bible35100:24:38,540 –> 00:24:42,800financially for the first time with a one-off gift of £60 or more or35200:24:43,060 –> 00:24:46,819A monthly direct debit of £5 per month or more35300:24:47,680 –> 00:24:50,099Full terms and conditions are on our website35400:24:50,260 –> 00:24:54,900That’s at openthebible.org.uk and you can give online35500:24:55,199 –> 00:24:57,920Please do remember to leave your full name and address35600:24:58,079 –> 00:25:01,859When you set up your payment so we can send you your free gift35700:25:02,420 –> 00:25:04,760For open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith35800:25:04,760 –> 00:25:09,839I’m David Pick, and I look forward to you joining us again next time on open the Bible35900:25:15,880 –> 00:25:20,380Does the smoke of your failure seem larger than the flame of God’s grace36000:25:21,079 –> 00:25:26,420Find out why God doesn’t allow it to be snuffed out. That’s next time on open the Bible