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King David was a man of God, called of God to the service of the Lord, anointed by God as Israel’s king. But one day when he was walking on his roof top he saw a woman (Bathsheba) bathing, and he lusted after her. And then he had her brought to him, and he had sex with her. Then she became pregnant. But rather than own up to his sin, he tried to cover it up by attempting to get her husband, who was a loyal soldier in the king’s army, to go home and have sex with his wife. But the man was an honorable man who would not do that while his fellow soldiers were camping in the open field. So the king had the man (Uriah) murdered in battle (2 Samuel 11).
And this is why we all must be diligent in spiritual warfare in keeping our armor in place, because temptations to sin are everywhere we look these days. So, we have to set our faces “like flint” (Isaiah 50:7), i.e. we must follow in Christ’s footsteps, separate from worldly influences. We can’t play with fire and expect not to get burned. That second look (glance) will kill you. That “this won’t hurt” will hurt someone. So, we have to take every possible precaution to ensure that we are not tempted to sin and that we don’t give into the temptation. We can’t let down our guard for a second.
So, back to the story of David and Uriah and his wife Bathsheba who later became David’s wife… The Lord sent the prophet Nathan to speak with David, and he used a parable, of sorts, to get David’s attention and to get him to realize and own up to the evil that he had done. And, although David did repent of his sins, and God did forgive him, his actions were not without consequence. God told David that “the sword shall never leave your house, because you have despised Me…” And Nathan told David, “…since by this deed you have shown utter disrespect for the Lord, the child himself who is born to you shall certainly die.” (see 2 Samuel 12:1-14)
And then we have today’s passage of Scripture from Psalms 51, which is David’s confession of his sin against the Lord, which was also a sin against Bathsheba and Uriah and the king’s soldiers and servants and against all the people under his command, in reality, for his sin against God affected them all. So, when we sin against God, even if it is not a direct sin against other people, which it often is, still the choices we make in this life, for good or for evil, do impact other people other than just ourselves.
Psalms 51:1-3,7,10,12-13 NASB
This is not a mere confession of wrongdoing. There are plenty of people who may (or may not) verbalize a confession of sin but then who go right back to the sin, then again, and again, and again. Those who do that are not truly repenting, for true repentance involves a change of direction, and a change of heart and mind away from the evil, away from the habitual and deliberate sin. David expressed it well! He didn’t just want forgiveness so he could go on sinning. He wasn’t looking for a free pass because he was king. He wanted a changed heart and mind and behavior.
He wasn’t looking for God to just forgive him of his sins, but he wanted deliverance from his sins so that he did not go back to doing the same thing again. And that is why Jesus Christ died on that cross, to free us from our slavery to sin so we will now walk in his holiness and righteousness in obedience to him and to his commands, and so we will no longer walk in deliberate and habitual sin. It doesn’t mean we will never sin, but that we should not keep repeating the same sins over again. Sin should no longer be our practice, but godliness and obedience to our Lord should be our practice.
And then, when we have turned, in truth, and we are now following Jesus Christ with our lives, in practice, then the Lord can use us to teach wrongdoers the ways of the Lord so that they will also turn from their sinful lifestyles and now follow Jesus in obedience to his commands. And I had my “David” moment, as well, not exactly the same as his, but there was a period of my life when I sinned sexually against the Lord, but the Lord brought me back, and he restored me, and after a couple of years then he called me to this ministry, and I am doing what it says in verse 13.
So, if you are currently living in sin, still addicted to sin (or to specific sins), then I encourage you to repent of those sins, in truth, and allow the Lord to change your heart and mind and behaviors to where now you are honoring God with your lives and with your bodies. Then, when you are going the right direction, and you are no longer going back to the same sins over and over, but you are now walking in faithful obedience to the Lord, the Lord can use you, too, to teach wrongdoers the ways of the Lord because you are now walking in those ways and no longer in sin.
[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
Seek the Lord
An Original Work / July 20, 2012
Based off Isaiah 55
“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.
Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,
And your soul will delight in richest of fare.
Give ear to Me, and you will live.
I have made an eternal covenant with you.
Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”
Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.
Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.
Freely, God pardons him.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord, our God.
“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.
It will not return to Me unfulfilled.
My word will accomplish all that I desire,
And achieve the goal I intend.
You will go in joy and be led forth in peace.
The mountains will burst into song… before you,
And all of the trees clap their hands.”
“Now when Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for her husband. When the time of mourning was over, David sent servants and had her brought to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Samuel 11:26-27 NASB).
And this is why we all must be diligent in spiritual warfare in keeping our armor in place, because temptations to sin are everywhere we look these days. So, we have to set our faces “like flint” (Isaiah 50:7), i.e. we must follow in Christ’s footsteps, separate from worldly influences. We can’t play with fire and expect not to get burned. That second look (glance) will kill you. That “this won’t hurt” will hurt someone. So, we have to take every possible precaution to ensure that we are not tempted to sin and that we don’t give into the temptation. We can’t let down our guard for a second.
So, back to the story of David and Uriah and his wife Bathsheba who later became David’s wife… The Lord sent the prophet Nathan to speak with David, and he used a parable, of sorts, to get David’s attention and to get him to realize and own up to the evil that he had done. And, although David did repent of his sins, and God did forgive him, his actions were not without consequence. God told David that “the sword shall never leave your house, because you have despised Me…” And Nathan told David, “…since by this deed you have shown utter disrespect for the Lord, the child himself who is born to you shall certainly die.” (see 2 Samuel 12:1-14)
And then we have today’s passage of Scripture from Psalms 51, which is David’s confession of his sin against the Lord, which was also a sin against Bathsheba and Uriah and the king’s soldiers and servants and against all the people under his command, in reality, for his sin against God affected them all. So, when we sin against God, even if it is not a direct sin against other people, which it often is, still the choices we make in this life, for good or for evil, do impact other people other than just ourselves.
Psalms 51:1-3,7,10,12-13 NASB
“Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion,
wipe out my wrongdoings.
Wash me thoroughly from my guilt
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my wrongdoings,
And my sin is constantly before me.”
“Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
Cleanse me, and I will be whiter than snow.”
“Create in me a clean heart, God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach wrongdoers Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.”
This is not a mere confession of wrongdoing. There are plenty of people who may (or may not) verbalize a confession of sin but then who go right back to the sin, then again, and again, and again. Those who do that are not truly repenting, for true repentance involves a change of direction, and a change of heart and mind away from the evil, away from the habitual and deliberate sin. David expressed it well! He didn’t just want forgiveness so he could go on sinning. He wasn’t looking for a free pass because he was king. He wanted a changed heart and mind and behavior.
He wasn’t looking for God to just forgive him of his sins, but he wanted deliverance from his sins so that he did not go back to doing the same thing again. And that is why Jesus Christ died on that cross, to free us from our slavery to sin so we will now walk in his holiness and righteousness in obedience to him and to his commands, and so we will no longer walk in deliberate and habitual sin. It doesn’t mean we will never sin, but that we should not keep repeating the same sins over again. Sin should no longer be our practice, but godliness and obedience to our Lord should be our practice.
And then, when we have turned, in truth, and we are now following Jesus Christ with our lives, in practice, then the Lord can use us to teach wrongdoers the ways of the Lord so that they will also turn from their sinful lifestyles and now follow Jesus in obedience to his commands. And I had my “David” moment, as well, not exactly the same as his, but there was a period of my life when I sinned sexually against the Lord, but the Lord brought me back, and he restored me, and after a couple of years then he called me to this ministry, and I am doing what it says in verse 13.
So, if you are currently living in sin, still addicted to sin (or to specific sins), then I encourage you to repent of those sins, in truth, and allow the Lord to change your heart and mind and behaviors to where now you are honoring God with your lives and with your bodies. Then, when you are going the right direction, and you are no longer going back to the same sins over and over, but you are now walking in faithful obedience to the Lord, the Lord can use you, too, to teach wrongdoers the ways of the Lord because you are now walking in those ways and no longer in sin.
[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
Seek the Lord
An Original Work / July 20, 2012
Based off Isaiah 55
“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.
Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,
And your soul will delight in richest of fare.
Give ear to Me, and you will live.
I have made an eternal covenant with you.
Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”
Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.
Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.
Freely, God pardons him.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord, our God.
“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.
It will not return to Me unfulfilled.
My word will accomplish all that I desire,
And achieve the goal I intend.
You will go in joy and be led forth in peace.
The mountains will burst into song… before you,
And all of the trees clap their hands.”
