INTRODUCTION:
1. There
are many wrong ideas about God today.
a. Some see Him as portrayed in blasphemous movies, as
a tottering old man who
is incapable of making decisions.
b. Others see Him as "the man upstairs."
c. Still others view Him as disinterested and uninvolved
with mankind.
d. However, all of these views are incorrect.
2. If
we are to seek to get right with God and truly be revived, we must
have a proper
view of Him.
I. RECOGNIZE GOD'S HOLINESS -- VS. 6.
A.
The Nature Of His Holiness.
1. Much emphasis today is placed on the love of God.
a. God is love -- I John 4:7-8.
b. God has acted out of this love to reconcile the world
to Himself.
1) John 3:16.
2) II Corinthians 5:19.
2. Others want to emphasize other aspects of God's character
-- i.e., His wrath,
His forgiveness, etc.
3. However, in all this we must remember that
God's chief characteristic is His
holiness.
a. Ex. 15:11 -- "Who is like unto thee,
O Lord, among the gods? Who is
like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"
b. Psalm 99:1-3, 5, 9.
c. Psalm 30:4.
d. I Peter 1:16.
e. Zech. 14:20.
4. If we are to truly have revival, we must hold the
right view of God, and that
begins with His holiness.
a. In relation to ourselves.
b. In relation to our sin.
B.
The Need For Holiness.
1. David said God desires truth on the inside.
a. David knew about the holiness of God.
b. Thus, he knew God is concerned with the whole
man -- not just the
exterior, but the interior as well.
c. That's why he said, "Thou desirest truth in the
inward parts."
2. Matt. 23:25-28 -- Jesus about the
Pharisees.
3. God is concerned with more than the superficial
(the external).
a. I Samuel 16:7 -- He looks on the heart.
b. James 1:26-27.
4. Some fool themselves and try to fool God by playing
religious games on the
outside.
a. However, God, who is absolutely holy, requires holiness
in our lives.
b. James 4:8 -- "Be ye holy, for I am
holy."
5. In all of this, God wants us to be honest and truthful
with ourselves.
II. REALIZE GOD'S POWER -- VV. 7, 10.
A.
David Knew God Could Cleanse Him.
1. David had confidence in the power of God. He said:
a. "Purge me with hyssop, and I will be clean."
b. "If You purge me, I will be clean."
2. HYSSOP = a bush whose branches were used to
apply blood and water
in purification ceremonies.
3. Vs. 7 -- "Wash me, and I shall be
whiter than snow."
a. See how David desires God's cleansing from sin?
b. Do we really want to be cleansed from sin,
or do we simply wish to
avoid punishment for sin?
c. David didn't like what sin in his life did, and he
wanted to be cleansed
from it.
4. We need the attitude of Peter in John 13:9.
B.
He Knew God Could Change Him.
1. Vs. 10 -- "Create in me a clean heart,
O God, and renew a right spirit
within me."
2. Sometimes we might wonder, because of repeated sin,
if God can help us,
but He in the only way we can overcome sin in the flesh.
3. Vs. 7 is encouragement to us that god
can
purge and cleanse.
4. David is saying, "Lord, I want more than cleansing;
I want a new heart."
a. Many need to be converted -- as Peter did.
b. Must learn to trust God and give Him this area of
our lives.
III. RELY ON GOD'S CHASTISEMENT -- VV. 8-12.
I know it seems strange to
say, "Rely on chastisement," but in reality, God's chastisement
is a blessing.
A.
Chastisement Exemplified.
1. Vs. 8 -- ref. to "the bones which
thou hast broken . . . "
2. Picture of what a shepherd would do with a wayward
lamb.
a. Broke on of its legs with his shepherd's crook.
b. Set the leg & carry the lamb until it got better.
c. During the time the lamb would grow to love the shepherd.
d. When completely healed, the lamb would no longer run
off.
3. David's saying, "Lord, I've had my legs broken, and
I'm ready to follow You."
4. David's sin and God's chastisement for it brought
about a great revival in
his life.
5. Too many get discouraged and quit after one
failure. Learn to view sin and
chastisement for it as a building block.
B.
Chastisement Expected.
1. We need to realize that sin deserves chastisement.
a. Because of God's holiness.
b. Because of our sinfulness.
c. Many times the saved are like children who repeatedly
disobey their parents.
2. God's mercy and forgiveness don't necessarily rule
out chastisement.
a. In the matter of Bathsheba, David repented and was
forgiven, but he
still lost the child.
b. Ever promise your child punishment if they did a certain
thing?
c. In chastisement God says, "You're mine, and I love
you" -- Heb. 12:5-6.
3. Our attitude toward God's chastisement should be the
same as David's in vs. 8.
a. Didn't want to ignore the conviction. (Most today
don't want that, don't
want to feel bad/guilty.)
b. He didn't want to just endure it; he wanted active
joy.
c. Said, "I got what I deserved. I have repented, now
I want to be joyous
again" (vs. 12).
4. Heb. 12:9-10 -- We are chastened to
be transformed to His image in us.
5. God chastens because He wants to bring us back (not
run us off).
a. Where we will say, "Lord, I got the message. You broke
my leg."
b. And, "Now I want my joy and gladness back."
IV. REST IN GOD'S FORGIVENESS -- VV. 9, 11.
A.
Acknowledged.
1. "Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine
iniquities . . . Cast
me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from
me" (vv. 9, 11).
a. David believed God pardoned sin.
b. He's saying, "Lord, I know You are a forgiving God."
2. Isaiah 43:25.
a. He forgives for His sake.
b. So we may know He is merciful.
3. Micah 7:18-19.
B.
Applied.
1. One of the most difficult things for a believer to
do is to accept God's
forgiveness.
a. Want to believe we must do something to earn
it.
b. Where does forgiveness originate? What is mercy? Can
mercy be earned?
2. Must learn to accept God's forgiveness and forgive
ourselves!
a. Matthew 6:14-15.
b. Does this include forgiving yourself?
3. I believe many saved people have "fallen by the wayside"
because they
can't/won't forgive themselves.
a. Too much pride to confess it before God.
b. Too much pride to seek the help of their brethren
(James 5:16).
4. I John 1:9 -- What does God require?
a. Confession -- agreeing with Him.
b. Repentance -- turning to God and from
sin.
(Means being sorry enough to stop.)
c. Forgiveness -- receiving it from Him.
CONCLUSION:
1. Are
you willing to confess your sin before God, to seek His cleansing, and
to
receive His forgiveness?
2. That's
the only way to have true revival in your life!
