Sermon – “A Steadfast Spirit Within Me”

Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
⁴ Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.

⁵ Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
⁶ Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸ Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
⁹ Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.

²¹ Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. ²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ²⁷ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

²⁸ “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ³⁰ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. ³¹ So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. ³² Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ ³⁴ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

³⁵ “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

all those things we’re going to have a really dedication this morning at the end of the the end of the service saying he said she wants to read dedicate her life to the Lord to me we have times need to do that recommit rededicate ourselves to Him I don’t know if you ever have but have you ever been at the ocean maybe when you were younger and now floating around on a raft and all the sudden you realize you’re a lot farther from the shore than you intended to be anybody ever done that besides May I have been a long time ago were floating around the last I want to raft of course is that younger than and just having a good time enjoying the waves enjoying the sunshine and the scenery and just join you know the Tom Tom at the beach and all the sudden I realized.

I’m way farther than that from sure than I intended to go and let me tell you these I mean they’re not the best paths in the world you know it’s kind of like you feel like you go about 3 feet toward the shore and 2 feet back 3 feet towards 2 we back I mean it’s like but it’s time you get back into war you want to go you’re like exhausted it worries you out because these are not the best paddles in the world so so there are some others have been there done that right well you know sometimes our faith walk is kind of like that. We don’t intend to drift as far away from God as we may have drifted. But we have for whatever reason you know we didn’t intentionally neglect reading His Word we didn’t intentionally not pray as often as we used to but it just seems like there are so many things going on in our lives that it just happened come along been never right you know what I mean you probably have fun years found yourself at that point or to some degree at some point in your life maybe you’ve you know is that illustration with drifting off from the shore gods on the shore right an ocean represents the world this jolly new way

and some have drifted father then other some just a little peace but the amazing thing is no matter how far

that we have drifted away from God

he’s always faithful to bring you back he’s always faithful whereas when Peter was walking on the water he was Ok as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus right soon as he took his eyes off them looked at the still looked at the ways and looked at the storm around them he began to sink and that’s what happens in our lives when we take our eyes off of Jesus we drift away and we need to call out to him he is always faithful to take us back to reach out and help us back into the boat or back onto the sure where will be with him right

the most of probably not fall away or drift away to the extent of the example that I’m going to use today and songs are going to be speaking of David but I will tell you this no matter how far will get the scripture eventually no matter how far you have drifted away from God He always wants you back. You know a few years ago a couple years ago we had direct t.v. as our satellite provider and they give you this guaranteed price but it’s only for a certain time and then as soon as that time expires they start jacking the prices up and jacking up prices up to it’s like it’s ridiculous and you play the game you would cancel it and redo and I’ve got Tartar playing a game to said that’s it I’m done with you is send me the label I’m going to ship your don’t back to you I don’t want anymore well then they start sending out all kinds of mail and all kinds of phone calls and what’s their thing what do they say we want you back that’s for the that’s what exactly what they said we want you back what you’re going to take we want you back well they didn’t want me back.

You got it do you read my message they want to my money back but friends God doesn’t want your money

he wants what.

Your heart he wants your heart

I can see used Directv slogan God wants you back if you’ve drifted away he wants you back if you’re here today for listening today if you’ve drifted from God He wants you back he wants that relationship restored because our God is a restoring God He likes to restore broken relationships he likes to restore broken hearts he likes to renew

and we can be renewed in him so of Psalms 51.

Open up my Bible because I didn’t have all of my Scripture that I want to use locked up

one through 18

have mercy upon me of God according to your loving kindness according to the multitude of your tender mercies I like that the multitude of God’s tender mercies right.

Blot out my transgressions wash me thoroughly from my iniquities and cleanse me from my sin for I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is always before me against you and you only have I sinned I want to pause for a moment when we sin yet at the you think well we’re sinning against an individual but what did Jesus say as you do unto the least of these you do and to me so when we sin against someone we’re actually sinning against God

Think about that the next time you think about doing something you shouldn’t be doing or saying something to someone you shouldn’t have your sinning against God All Right

now lost my place.

A did lose my place for what verse I was so Ok

against you and you only have I sinned and done this evil when your sight that you may be found just when you speak and blameless when you judge behold I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me behold you desire truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part you will make me to know wisdom purge me with this up and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow make me here joy and gladness that the bones you have broken may rejoice hide your face from my sins and blot out my transgressions Create in me a clean heart oh God and read new a steadfast spirit within me.

They would cry now God Renu a steadfast spirit within me and do not cast me away from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me restore to me the joy of your salvation and up hold me by your generous spirit then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners shall be converted to you and that amazing song that David Speakon sinners of Beacon spurted to you deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed Oh god the god of myself ation and my tongue shall sing aloud your righteousness Oh Lord open my lips and my mouth shall show forth your praise for you did not desire sacrifice or else I would give it you do not the light of burnt offerings the sacrifices of God or a broken spirit and a broken and contrary heart these are the lord or a God you will not despise God desires a broken spirit

that will be broken for him they got at his blessings that hearing in the reading of His Holy Word let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you and praise you for the words that you spoke to us with the Psalmist David Father we thank you for the example that David lived by that we prayed as you help us look to the good things that David did in the words of the spoken father most of all may we look to the heart that he had the father that it would surely that he had a heart that long for you a heart that was broken before you and father may we again follow the example that he said may we have a heart that is broken and contrary father heart that you can work with Father may your spirit work in us and through us and Father this your spare would remove anything that should not be there. And father just pray that we would glorify you with our lives and just prayed your presence to be with us right now this hour but each and every day May your spirit go with us go before us and go with us and in us Father to bring glory and honor to you Lord it sinners might be turned from their transgressions through the lives that they see in us that they see Christ in us in Jesus name Amen

David cries out have mercy upon me the most basic theological definition of mercy is that it is a gift from God that He gives to us instead of the punishment that we deserve for our sins that’s the most basic understanding of what mercy is is a gift that God gives to us instead of what we actually deserve for sins all we have to do is resist receive it mercy is to have pity upon to have compassion towards someone is just so to show kindness is to show concern for someone that is in need to we have mercy towards others you know the natural man is it’s easy to have mercy towards someone that we may already have a relationship with you know our close friends or our family it’s easy to show mercy towards them.

Sometimes it’s a little difficult but it’s easy to show mercy towards someone that we know but to show mercy towards a stranger someone who maybe has wronged you or your family gets a little bit more difficult doesn’t it to show mercy towards them but friends they’re the ones that need it the most

they are the ones that need it that is a rare trait to be able to forgive someone who has wronged you especially in a severe way. We can only do that with His Spirit in us to be able to show mercy and forgive someone who has wronged you in a bad way

you know sometimes sorry to say even Christians we have the attitude Well the get what’s coming to him

they deserve that

but what they really need is mercy they need Christ pray for my enemies Jesus said Right let’s pray for them I know that’s hard but that’s what we’re called to do show mercy limitations 322 says through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed because his compassions fail not

they God’s mercies my friends will not fail God’s mercy is will not be exhausted he is not going to run out of mercy isn’t that good news he is not going to run out of mercy they will not fail he says according to the multitude of your tender mercies blot out my transgressions his mercies are great where sin is great his mercies is greater

sins a little you still need mercy and God’s mercy is will not fail us.

We can look at so many examples of God’s dealings with the nation of Israel how he would allow them to be disciplined because of the transgressions because they they sinned against him or they began to worship idols for all these things but even in his judgments he was always merciful with them he was always extend the mercy today when they was carried off captive God was merciful to them

there’s a New Testament passage it reveals the mercy of our Lord in Matthew 1821 through 35. Then Peter came to him and said Lord how often show my brother sin against me and I forgive him up to 7 times Jesus said I mean he thought 7 was being pretty generous right he thought it was Jesus said I do not say up to 7 times but up to 70 times 7 for I do the math more kids math whizzes how many 494 even that Wes 490 times but no that’s not what he’s telling us unlimited is often is your brother comes before you and ask for forgiveness my friends forgive them show mercy he says Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who one of the settle accounts with the servants and when he had begun to settle accounts one was brought to him who owed him $10000.00 talents

$10000.00 talents is the equivalent of several $1000000.00 today by today’s standards so there is equivalency you have that but as he was not able to pay his master commanded that he should be sold with his wife and his children and all that he had and that payment be made

the servant therefore fell down before him saying Master have patience with me and I will pay you all then the master of the servant was moved with compassion mercy released him and forgave him the debt but that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him $100.00 nary a friend’s today’s equivalent a few dollars So several 1000000 versus a few dollars. And he laid hands on him and took him by the throat saying hey me what you owe me so its fellow servant fell down to his feet and begged him saying Have patience with me and I will pay you and he would not but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt so when his fellow servants saw what he had done they were very grieved and came and told their master all that had been done this then the master after he called him said to him You wicked servant I forgave you all that dead because you beg me should you not have had compassion on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you and his master was angry and delivered him into the torturers until he should pay all that was due him so my Heavenly Father will also be with you if each of you get that if each of you from his heart does not forgive his brother his trust passes

if you are unwilling to forgive if you are under willing to have mercy God will not have mercy towards you you must forgive in order to be forgiven 1st 23 said Wash me thoroughly This is from songs wash me thoroughly from my neck with deeds and cleanse me from my sin frog knowledge my transgressions of my sin is always before me to acknowledge my transgressions 1st John 19 says if we confess our sins friends he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins to cleanse us from all unrighteousness if we but ask for forgiveness God is faithful to forgive

to read news to rededicate to recommit to resubmit every last one of these acts begins with one thing humbling

they begin with humbling ourselves before God. Confessing our sins to God and resubmitting our will in our way to Him unto His will and His way and his plan for us that’s what it means to humble ourselves and recommit ourselves to Him 2nd Chronicles 71415 we’ve heard to so many times if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and heal their land now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers made in this place

you know this was not spoken to the heathens He says If my people who are called by my name

those that believed in him frenzies speak in midst of the church if my people if my Christians will humble themselves and pray and seek my face I will hear I will see he says I will hear from heaven you know so many times we pray and we think we think our prayers are stopping at the ceiling

I’m coming on Have you ever prayed and thought I just don’t feel like my prayers are as effective as they should be or they used to be like they’re not going any farther not given through the roof

but I can tell you right now because this word is true if we humble ourselves and we seek His face we pray for forgiveness I assure you there is one prayer of the always hears because it right here it says it my ears are attended to the prayer made in this place is here our tent up to the prayer of repentance. Every single top and I just this morning was I was thinking about this thought whenever someone prays for forgiveness when they cry out the God forgive me must since I do is this isn’t of lightning bolt of prayer going up through all the spiritual battle going straight to the heavens straight to God when we cry out have mercy on me he hears it every single time a sinner cries out have mercy on me I assure you God hears it

and the devil devil hates it

he hates it when a sinner cries out have mercy on me because he says of lost another one

because when we cry out to him we become his Our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life

he knows at times we become prideful he knows at times we’ve become lax in our commitment to him.

And again it’s times we just we drift away David drifted away

they’ve was called a man after God’s own heart but he drifted away

he’d become full of lust for Bush had murderous plans for your rile he rebelled against God

But now here he is humbled himself and he desired a new heart one that was full of love for God one that hated sin

sin it brought him nothing but guilt grief and remorse and he wanted a spiritual heart surgery he wanted the renewed created in me a clean heart of God

You know it’s a good thing that he had guilt that he had grief that he had read more

that lets us know that our conscious is working right. Charles Spurgeon said this about David and his situation with the Sheba he says when they Then the Prophet came on to him after he had gone into by Sheba when a divine message had to roused his dormant conscience and made him see the greatness of his guilt he wrote this song he had forgotten his samadhi while he was indulging in his flesh but he returned to his harp when his spiritual nature was awaken and he poured out his song to the accompaniment of sighs in tears the great sin of David is not to be excused but is what it is well to remember that his case has an exceptional collection of specialties in it he was a man of very strong passions a soldier an Oriental monarch having a despotic power said no other king of his time would have felt any compunction for acting as David did know whether King would have felt guilt as David did he was a king most kings would have thought I’ll do what I want I’ll kill whoever Rob want to kill because I’m the king on the monarch but David experience guilt when they can reveal his sin onto him my friends guilt can be a good thing in our lives it can awaken our conscience you know you think of winter time things go dormant the grass goes dormant bronzes Holly lujah I get a break from cutting the grass the plants the flowers go dormant many things go dormant they look kind of bleak in the winter time you live in our region right. But we know that springtime is common in springtime comes in green starts to burst forth and Brian gets to cut the grass again and the flowers bloom and the trees bloom they get their leaves back women get the bloom on them and are a beautiful thing but they we know that spring time has come more friends our faith is like that when we drift away it becomes kind of dormant but when we cry out to him we can be refreshed as in the springtime and come back to a new life you know God’s word is new every morning so if we stay in that word we can be refreshed we can be in that springtime every day be renewed every day that’s how we stay there verse 10 said Create in me a clean heart of God and read new a steadfast spirit in me steadfast means to be unwavering unshakable are you on shakable let nothing shake your faith

stand firm on that rock which is Jesus Christ it is fixed it is constant it is steady solid and farm

I hope all those things describe your faith in Jesus Christ that it would be steadfast

not allowing our conscience to go dormant being wholly dedicated to God

not desiring our own will but his I found a story of unwavering dedication

in his book one crowded hour Tim Bowden describes an incident in Borno in 1964 Nepalese fighters known as good cause or ask if they would be willing to jump from airplanes to combat against the Indonesians their cost didn’t clearly understand what was involved in this mission. But they bravely said that they would do it asking only if the plane will apply very slowly over the swamps of no higher than 100 feet but when they were told that the parachute wooden open at that height they said well you did mention parachutes.

They already said yes. But you didn’t tell us we’re going to parachutes Well we’re good with the pa they were willing to jump out of planes without them now is that dedication

here and that’s craziness.

But that’s dedication

if you floss lowly over swamps we have will jump out

like to have dedicated soldiers like that for the cross right willing to jump out without the parachute but the good news is we have the person

the Holy Spirit ladies who ask you a question

let’s say for example

before you and your husband were married you were engaged and you were out to dinner one night and you just talking about you know you’re excited about that upcoming wedding but you get to talking about faithfulness and your husband said op promised you honey I’ll be faithful to you 85 percent of the time.

Oh well that was what is my half a man

will most likely you’re going to get up you’re going to storm out in fact Hamp leave I was going to marry that jerk right. Yeah

well you know what parents you would probably be shocked if your kids obeyed 85 percent of time right I mean 85 pretty good if the weatherman was right 85 percent of Tom would sit with that’s next to a miracle

Ok

if I told you if the Lottery Board called you today and said I’ve got a ticket down here and there’s 85 percent chance you’re going to win you’re probably going to leave church and go buy that ticket

maybe you know if I got a 5 percent on a test in high school I was pleased.

But faithfulness to a spouse 85 percent of the time is not faithfulness Is it

were my goal of this.

Is God happy with 85 percent of our commitment to him.

Yep be better than 50 percent.

But God is not happy with 50 percent or 85 percent he wants all of our hearts 100 percent 1st Samuel 73 says then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel saying if you return to the Lord with all your hearts it doesn’t say with 85 percent of your heart friends if you return to God with all of your hearts that put away the foreign gods in his store asst from among you and prepare your hearts for the Lord and serve Him only and he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines my friends that’s our word today God wants all of your hearts prepare your hearts for him Matthew 633 says but seek ye 1st the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you seek Him 1st give him 100 percent of your heart and your life or heart controls what we do that’s why he wants the heart out of the abundance of the heart to mouth speaks of friends a heart reveals what we do comes from the heart and that’s why he says he wants all of your heart that’s it doesn’t get a more straightforward than that does it

seek the Lord 1st in everything we do

we should consider said in a time every day but devotional time for prayer and Bible reading for praise and worship

to be renewed every day to stay dedicated to him every day

if you’ve drifted away from God

Rather it’s a little distance or a great distance I’ll go back to say he wants you back he wants your heart he wants it today

don’t wait till tomorrow he wants you back today.