Broken Cisterns: Thirsting for the Creator Instead of the Created

By Sarah Ivill

Today many of us are figuratively drinking from broken cisterns that hold no water. Rather than finding satisfaction in God, the Fountain of living waters, we seek to satisfy ourselves with the broken cisterns of this world, and we remain discontented.

In Broken Cisterns , Sarah Ivill exposes these broken cisterns—addictions to things like social media, physical appearance, shopping, sex, and others. She helps us understand why we are drawn to these things and how dangerous it is to seek contentment in them. Using Scripture, she also gently and practically leads us to the Fountain of living waters, who will transform our hearts and eternally satisfy our thirst.

Table of Contents:
Part One: Broken Cisterns Lead To…
1. An Imperfect World
2. Disorder, Discontentment, and Death
3. Impure Passions and Incorrect doctrine
4. Enslavement and Infinite Consequences
Part Two: The Fountain of Living Waters Has…
5. Clean water
6. Living water
7. Nourishing water
Part Three: We Respond By…
8. Loving and Enjoying God
9. Trusting and Obeying God

• Language: English
• Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books
• Release date: Jul 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781601787835

Book preview

"In Broken Cisterns, Sarah Ivill shares from what she has taught many times to groups of women. But that teaching and these pages represent more than the fruit of faithful Bible study. They also clearly draw from much personal experience in seeking to turn away from broken cisterns to the living waters found only in Jesus Christ and walking with other women seeking to do the same. The result is a valuable guide for women experiencing spiritual thirst in today’s world that is honest, hopeful, biblical, and practical. It will be a helpful resource not only for personal study but also for use in discipleship relationships, women’s small groups, or wherever women are seeking to learn and grow together in Christ."

—Dave Baxter, pastor of congregational life, Christ Covenant Church, Matthews, North Carolina

Pleasure, success, reputation—they never deliver the satisfaction they promise. That’s because God has designed us for something infinitely better—abundant life in His Son. Ivill illuminates what tempts us to wallow in broken cisterns and then shows us biblically and practically how to avoid those pitfalls and live life to the full in Christ our Savior. A terrific read for individuals and book groups!

—Lydia Brownback, author, Flourish Bible Study series

"We are all looking to have our hearts filled, but often we drink from the sludgy water of broken cisterns instead of from clear, clean springs. Sarah Ivill writes Broken Cisterns with insight into the Scriptures and women’s hearts. You will see the mud of your heart on the pages of this book, but even more you will see the Living Waters that can make you clean and quench your thirst eternally. With questions to help you examine your life, Broken Cisterns is ideal for reading and discussing with a friend."

—Keri Folmar, author of The Good Portion: Scripture and the Delighting in the Word Bible Study series.

"We all have thirsty hearts and seek to quench that thirst through the murky, stagnant cisterns of this world. But Jesus offers more. He offers the living water that truly satisfies. In Broken Cisterns, Sarah Ivill helps us see how our hearts are prone to wander, prone to fill our thirst with shallow counterfeits. She then points us to Christ, who meets all the longings of our hearts. For all those who thirst, Broken Cisterns will lead you to the well that never runs dry."

—Christina Fox, counselor, writer, speaker, and author of several books, including Idols of a Mother’s Heart.

"‘How does Sarah know me so well?’ This is the question I kept asking as I read Broken Cisterns. Sarah understands me and my heart. Many people write about problems, but not everyone has the insight into how to apply the Word to solutions on growing and changing. Sarah does. Sarah pulled me into the great love story of the Bible. She is concrete and never left me wondering about how to live out a deeper, more trusting love for God. Her questions at the end of each chapter are an added plus for personal and group study."

—Helen Holbrook, children’s director, Christ Evangelical Presbyterian Church (PCA)

God has truly gifted Sarah Ivill to reach deep into the hearts of women. Sarah meets us where we are—in our brokenness, drinking from broken cisterns—and takes us on a journey to find springs of living water. I hope many women will take the opportunity to read her book and learn from it, as I have.

—Jeany Jun, New Life Presbyterian Church of Orange County

Broken Cisterns

Thirsting for the Creator Instead of the Created

Sarah Ivill

Reformation Heritage Books

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Broken Cisterns

© 2020 by Sarah Ivill

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Direct your requests to the publisher at the following addresses:

Reformation Heritage Books

2965 Leonard St. NE

Grand Rapids, MI 49525

616-977-0889

[e-mail]

www.heritagebooks.org

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

20 21 22 23 24 25/10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Ivill, Sarah, author.

Title: Broken cisterns : thirsting for the creator instead of the created / Sarah Ivill.

Description: Grand Rapids, Michigan : Reformation Heritage Books, 2020. | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020024191 (print) | LCCN 2020024192 (ebook) | ISBN 9781601787828 (paperback) | ISBN 9781601787835 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Christian women—Religious life. | Spirituality—Christianity. | Satisfaction—Religious aspects—Christianity.

Classification: LCC BV4527 .I94 2020 (print) | LCC BV4527 (ebook) | DDC 248.8/43—dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020024191

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020024192

For additional Reformed literature, request a free book list from Reformation Heritage Books at the above regular or email address.

To the Fountain of living waters,

And to all those who have hewed out cisterns for yourselves

and found them to be broken,

may you know the joy of returning to Christ.

"But My people have changed their Glory

For what does not profit.

Be astonished, O heavens, at this,

And be horribly afraid;

Be very desolate," says the LORD.

"For My people have committed two evils:

They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters,

And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns

that can hold no water."

—JEREMIAH 2:11–13

Contents

A Note from Sarah

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part 1: Broken Cisterns Lead To…

1. An Imperfect World

2. Disorder, Discontentment, and Death

3. Impure Passions and Incorrect Doctrine

4. Enslavement and Infinite Consequences

Part 2: The Fountain of Living Waters Has…

5. Clean Water

6. Living Water

7. Nourishing Water

Part 3: We Respond By…

8. Loving and Enjoying God

9. Trusting and Obeying God

Bibliography

A Note from Sarah

The outline of this book came from a speaking engagement topic I have shared many times with different groups of women over the past several years, originally titled Thirsting for Springs of Living Water. Due to the response I received, I decided to expand it into a book, and I am grateful Reformation Heritage Books opened the opportunity to do so. It is my hope that you will study these chapters and discuss the questions in the context of the local church. Hopefully older women will study it with younger women, or mothers will study it with their daughters. It can also be beneficial to read on your own or with a friend and discuss the questions with them sometime during the week.

If you choose to use it for a book study at your church, I encourage you to have the women read the chapter during the week and answer the questions so they can be prepared to discuss them in a group setting. The leader can summarize the chapter and then facilitate the questions. Adding a time of prayer and fellowship around food would be an added blessing. My prayer for those of you doing this study is that you will drink of the water that Christ offers you so that you will never be thirsty again (John 4:14).

Soli Deo gloria!

Acknowledgments

I am grateful for those who have been part of this writing project.

Thank you to Reformation Heritage Books, especially Jay Collier for your support and encouragement of this book, to Donna Huisjen for her editorial skill, and to Annette Gysen and Dr. Joel Beeke for reviewing the manuscript.

Thank you to all the ladies who gave me encouraging feedback at retreats and conferences on this material, which encouraged me to expand it into book form.

Thank you to Lisa Menchinger and Amanda Verret for reviewing an early form of the manuscript and providing encouragement, as well as comments and suggestions.

Thank you to the pastors of Christ Covenant Church (PCA) for faithfully proclaiming the Word of God each week, as well as to the women’s Bible study team and the women in my Bible study class, who have faithfully prayed for me and encouraged me.

Thank you to my dad and mom, David and Judy Gelaude, who have always supported me in my love of the Word and encouraged me to do what the Lord has called me to do. I love you both more than words can express.

Thank you to my husband, Charles, and to our children, Caleb, Hannah, Daniel, and Lydia, for your faithful support, encouragement, and prayers.

Finally, thank you to my heavenly Father, to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and to the Holy Spirit. To the triune God for what He has done through me, a broken vessel that too easily and often delights in broken cisterns, yet one that is being renewed in knowledge after the image of the Creator to the praise of His glorious grace.

Part 1

Broken Cisterns Lead To…

Introduction

Carol pulled out her iPhone. What started out as an occasional look at social media had turned into a habit that had gotten out of hand. She kept trying to convince herself that she had technology use under control, but she couldn’t ignore the countless hours she seemed to lose each week on her phone, how depressed it made her feel when she compared herself to others and their accomplishments, and how empty it left her feeling relationally. What she had thought would enhance her social relationships had turned out to empty her.

Sarah stepped off the scale. When did she get so obsessed with how much she weighed? Counting calories and exercising had become so important they were taking over much of her thought life. What she had thought was a health kick had turned into an addiction to thinness and fitness. What she had thought would fulfill her had failed her.

Gina pulled into the mall parking lot. How long had she been attempting to drown out her problems with shopping? She kept adding more and more debt to her credit card. What she had thought would fulfill her was draining her.

Amy laid her head on the pillow. When did she get hooked on sexual sin? What started out as an irregular occurrence had turned into a deep thirst for more, but she couldn’t ignore the emptiness and shame she felt inside. What she had thought would fulfill her had devastated her.

Lisa looked at her