Divine Pardon—A Right Spirit

Text: Psalms 51:10-11 

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. (KJV)

Intro:  Written by David after he had sinned with Bathsheba.  He cried out to God for His grace & mercy.  We may have had failures in 1998, where we missed God and sinned (maybe not adultery or murder, but sin none the less).  We need to be like David and instead of running from God, run to God and fall on His divine mercy and grace to receive His pardon. 

We may be making resolutions to read our Bible more, or pray more, etc. but the first thing we need is to renew a Right Spirit with God.  Then we will serve Him not out of duty, but out of love.

1.      Only God can do it--Divine

1. David had repented of his sin and asked God to create in him a pure heart and a steadfast spirit—He knew only God could give him the new heart he needed.  His heart had been sinful and failed God. He needed an established, firm, steadfast spirit that would stand up to tests of life (So do we!)
2. Only Jesus can create in us a clean, pure heart and a strong established spirit.  Only He can give us His divine pardon for the sins of our past.  Only He can swipe the slate clean and make us righteous in His sight. 

--He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west, & thrown them into the sea of forgetfulness—never to be remembered anymore!

1. It is a gift given to us by God’s grace, which we must receive by faith in Jesus

“ . . . even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe . . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:21-24 NASB)

2.      The results--Pardon

1. Justified—“Just-as-if-I’d-never-sinned”  not just a pardon, but total removal of record of sin

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor 5:21)

“If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

1. So we don’t carry the weight of our past sins into the New Year—no guilt, but joy (vs.12).
2. We don’t have to fear that others will find out our sins—no condemnation.
3. We will be able to walk with the power of God’s Spirit breathing His life into our life.  He will help us to accomplish the visions and dreams we have. (Resolutions—Desires—Goals)
4. So we can be an effective witness in 1999 of God’s grace and mercy. (vs. 13)

God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.

Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me.

Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails!

Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home.

Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.

Unbutton my lips, dear God; I’ll let loose with your praise. (The Message)