A Clean Heart In A Dirty World

TITLE: A CLEAN HEART IN A DIRTY WORLD

SCRIPTURE: PSALM 51:1-12

Out of all the 150 Psalms, I believe this is one of the most heart wrenching of them all. It is a heart filled and genuine account of David’s guilty heart. There is no real need to enlarge the circumstances, the heading tells the tragic story. This Psalm of David, happened when Nathan the Prophet went to him, after his affair with Bathsheba.

• It was an abuse of his Kingly Power

• Passions were given into

• Darker guilt can scarcely be found in scripture

This sorrowful Psalm is a mirror of our own heart, for it reveals that in each of us --

• There is something near Hell and something near Heaven

• There is something Diabolical and something Divine

Written well over three thousand years ago, it might have been written yesterday, for its title proves that it is timeless. David had committed a great sin in the eyes of the Lord. Yes, in his desires to fulfill the "lust of his flesh," he had broken at least five of God’s Ten Commandments. Look at this man David - a man the Bible very clearly identifies as a "MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART.”

• Look at David as he - Covets another man’s wife

• Look at David Lying and deceiving one of his very own loyal soldiers to cover-up his own adulterous wrong doing after he had impregnated the man’s wife

• Look at David Killing an innocent man after Stealing his wife just to justify his own dirty deeds

• But, the Bible says this - LOW-DOWN -- LYING - DIRTY - WIFE STEALING - ADULTEROUS - MAN-SLAUGHTERING - MURDERER - was a "MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART"

• Taken at face value, this is difficult for me to understand

• If you are honest with me this morning, I am sure you too would agree

In spite of that, I love the 51st Psalm. It’s a very personal prayer of Confession - Self-Examination - A Cry For Forgiveness. I can really identify with the author of this Psalm. Not with what he did, but with his own sense and need for forgiveness. Because I too try my very best to also be “A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART" - but sometimes I find myself falling short of GOD’S GOODNESS AND MERCY. I think Paul said it best – ROMANS 7:21 “I FIND THEN A LAW, THAT, WHEN I WOULD DO GOOD, EVIL IS PRESENT WITH ME.”

• Can I tell you know matter how saved you think you are - evil is always lurking around the corner

• Can I tell you know matter how long you have been saved - evil never leaves your side

• Can I tell you even when you are doing the Lord’s work - evil is always there trying to trip you up

The Bible says, "WE ALL LIKE SHEEP HAVE GONE ASTRAY -- WE ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD."

• Yes, we are "Men and Women After God’s Own Heart" -- but we find ourselves Lying Sometime

• Yes, we are "Men and Women After God’s Own Heart" -- but we find ourselves Hating One Another

• Yes, we are "Men and Women After God’s Own Heart" - but we find ourselves Stealing from Others

• Yes, we are "Men and Women After God’s Own Heart" -- but we find ourselves Backbiting and Cheating One Another

• Yes, we are "Men and Women After God’s Own Heart" -- but we find ourselves Committing Adultery and Fornication

• Yes, we are "Men and Women After God’s Own Heart" -- but we find ourselves Gossiping and Killing One Another with our Tongues

• Yes, we are "Men and Women After God’s Own Heart" -- but we find ourselves Robbing God in giving our Tithes and Offerings

• Yes, we are "Men and Women After God’s Own Heart" -- but we find ourselves Robbing God of Faithful Service, Worship, and Praise

Look with me at this text. It is obvious to me David has been convicted by his sin and his guilt. It is a dangerous place to be in when we are called Christians and feel no conviction of our sins. There are two main reasons for not feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit when a person sins.

1. One is the person is not born-again, and the Holy Spirit is not indwelling him - Therefore, he would not feel the conviction that the Spirit of God brings

2. The other reason a person may not feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit is because he has committed so much sin, that his heart is hardened

• David had not fooled anyone, not even himself