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DAY 54:

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart…” (Psalm 51:17).

We see here that it really isn’t enough to have a broken heart only.. You need to have a contrite heart as well, because they go together. The word “broken” comes from the Hebrew word “shabar,” which means to burst, to burst out or through, break up, break into pieces. It also means to be broken, shattered, to bring to birth, to burst out seeds from the hull of a grain. 

Contrite denotes a more comprehensive process. The word “contrite” comes from the Hebrew root word “daka,” which means to crush to pieces, to crumble, to beat to pieces. You see, “shabar” or “broken” will burst seeds from the hull or outer covering of a grain, “daka” or “contrite” will crush the seeds into powder. 

A person who is broken, is someone who has been humbled and convicted. This process is necessary for God to work on your heart and break you down completely, until you are thoroughly submitted, transformed, and pliable in His hands. You have to be broken before being crushed or pulverized.. That is why you need these hearts, in this order. 

“And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder,” (Matthew 21:44).

Friends, if you do not get broken, repent, and receive the gospel of the kingdom, you will be crushed and destroyed beyond repair – you will be ground to powder. In Matthew, Jesus was describing what would happen to the Pharisees and Jewish religious leaders who resisted Him and planned His demise, because of their hardened hearts. 

If you notice, the people that followed Jesus were not religious.. they were comprised of tax collectors, prostitutes, and fisherman, and they went through the “breaking-in” process at the hands of John the Baptist.

“And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him,” (Luke 7:29-30).

You see, John was sent ahead of Jesus to make the people ready and prepared to receive the Lord, but the religious dismissed John, therefore they were not broken in by John’s ministry and were pulverized by the heavy weight of Christ’s judgments (Matthew 23).

“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones,” (Isaiah 57:15).

Remember, John’s ministry of repentance was an outwardly form, but Jesus’ repentance was that of the heart.. That’s the difference between broken and contrite. You can have a broken heart, but not a contrite one. The Lord visits the broken in heart, but when you have a contrite spirit and heart, the work of salvation can be fully consummated in your life, and He will dwell within you. This is the sacrifice that pleases Him..!!”

~David E, Taylor~

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