Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

 

 

Psalm 51:1-12

 

May 29, 2022

 

Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

 

Have mercy on me O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.   Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!   For I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me.  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.  Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.  Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.    Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

 

The Scriptures have much to say about our flesh, and they are not addressing a person who is an unbeliever, but men and women, boys and girls, who by faith and grace have entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Galatians 5:17, “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”

 

You will find many places and more examples of men who were followers of Christ but allowed the flesh to break fellowship, not the relationship with God.  George Walker Bush, when ask about his smoking weed, said, something to the effect and I am not quoting, when you are young you do many foolish things.  And how true that was of my life, and I never heard a sermon on the flesh till much later in my walk with Jesus.  At 27 I enter into a relationship with God, and it seem I would never stumble, The church we attended was medium size and had to be Baptist, for that was the way I grew up.  Jan and I were excited about our relationship with Jesus and wanted to be about His business, it was only natural that when asked to be the youth leaders we said yes.  At that time we had no understanding that the leadership was not following the teaching of Scripture by placing novices in a place of authority.  Then came the Lay Witness Mission and after attending a few my mentor Jack Archer, ask if we would pray about leading out in this program that the Methodist began and it was used in a big way for Jan and me to understand the need for prayer and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead.  Then I was voted by the congregation to be a deacon, but I knew it was not the will of God, but I allowed some other young men to talk me into it.  That began my first understanding of how pride can be a tool of the devil to ruin your walk with the Lord.  I became very prideful and less dependent on prayer and allowing the Holy Spirit's leadership in my life.

 

It took a train wreck of my faith to do as David had done, my sin had brought shame on the name of our Lord, and for years the enemy used that to make me fill not worthy of God’s mercy and love But bought lesson can be a great teacher, and the mentors God sent to us began to teach Jan and I the truth.  They taught us about how our flesh was at war with the Spirit but we did not have to submit to its desire.  We learned when we were weak God's Spirit living in us would carry us to a place of victory.   This is great news, the two of us are seekers of Truth, and our desire is to make a difference in the lives of our family, friends, and neighbors.  We have been blessed to know that Jesus Christ can change a life from evil to good, from fear to no fear of man, to the peace and joy of being His.

 

It amazes me that anyone would reject such love, but my goal is to share the promise of a Promise Keeper, who took your place.  A dear friend who has been so faithful to pray and encourage me during my long illness sent this with Scripture today, “He is a way-making, promise-keeping, battle-winning, water-walking, storm-stilling, faithful Friend and Savior.”  That my Lord, Jesus the Christ, do you know He loves you, and it matters not your color, your sins, or anything, He loves you.  If you would like to know begin in John's gospel and read Romans 10:9-10 after. 

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice