A LOOSE CONNECTION
PSALMS 51:10
10.CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART OH GOD, AND RENEW A
RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN ME.
THIS PASSAGE OF PSALMS IS MY SECOND MOST FAVORITE PASSAGE IN THE BIBLE. DAVID SEEMS TO HAVE LOST FAVOR WITH GOD AND HE SEEMS TO BE TRYING TO FIX IT.
SO FOR THE NEXT LITTLE WHILE, I WANT YOU TO EMPTY THE STOREHOUSE OF YOUR MINDS WHILE WE ATTEMPT TO SPEAK ON THE SUBJECT, A LOOSE CONNECTION.
I KNOW THAT EACH ONE OF YOU WHO IS OLD ENOUGH TO DRIVE OR HAVE DRIVEN FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME HAS AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER EXPERIENCED A TIME WHEN YOU GOT INTO YOUR CAR AND TURNED THE KEY BUT THE STARTER WOULDN’T TURN, THE LIGHTS WOULDN’T COME ON AND THE HORN REFUSED TO BLOW.
THAT SAID TO YOU IF YOU WERE MECHANICALLY INCLINED, THAT YOU HAD A POWER PROBLEM. IF YOU WERE NOT MECHANICALLY INCLINED YOU CALLED A TOWING SERVICE AND WHEN THE DRIVER GOT THERE HE RAISED THE HOOD AND TOOK A LOOK AT THE POWER SUPPLIER, THE BATTERY.
THE CABLES WERE LOOSE AND CORROSION HAD BUILT UP AND WAS BLOCKING OUT THE POWER FROM THE BATTERY TO THE IGNITION.
THE REPAIRMAN SAID TO YOU, NO WONDER YOUR CAR WON’T START, YOU’VE GOT A LOOSE CONNECTION.
HE TOOK A WIRE BRUSH FROM HIS TRUCK AND CLEANED THE BATTERY POST AND INSIDE THE CABLES TO GET RID OF SOME OF THE CORROSION.
THEN HE ADDED WATER TO THE BATTERY TO MAKE SURE IT WOULD CHARGE.
WHEN HE WAS FINISHED YOU GOT BACK IN YOUR CAR AND AFTER A QUICK CHARGE IT STARTED WITH A TURN OF THE KEY BECAUSE HE HAD FIXED YOUR LOOSE CONNECTION.
AND THAT TELLS ME; THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS SAYING TO US TODAY, THE SAME WAY THAT CORROSION HAD GATHERED INSIDE THAT CABLE, IS THAT’S THE WAY SIN GETS BETWEEN GOD AND US.
YOU SEE, WHEN SIN HAS COVERED YOUR LIFE, YOU GET A LOOSE CONNECTION. IT’S LIKE THE CLOUDS OF THE MORNING THAT WON’T ALLOW THE SUN TO SHINE THROUGH.
I’M HERE TO TELL YOU THIS MORNING THAT WHEN LOOSE CONNECTIONS SET IN, YOU CAN COME TO CHURCH AND WON’T FEEL A THING.
THE CHOIR CAN SING LIKE ANGELS BUT IT WON’T MOVE YOU.
THE DEACONS CAN PRAY UNTIL THE OFFICERS OF HEAVEN STOP TO LISTEN TO THEM PRAY, BUT EVEN THEIR PRAYERS WON’T MOVE YOU.
THE PREACHER CAN PREACH, HE CAN HOOP AND HOLLER, SWING, TURN AND JUMP AND YOU’LL JUST SIT THERE LIKE A KNOT ON A LOG, WHEN YOU’VE GOT A LOOSE CONNECTION.
AND EVERYWHERE I TURN TODAY I SEE CHURCH FOLK WITH A LOOSE CONNECTION.
THERE IS A LOOSE CONNECTION ON THE USHER BOARD.
I WONDER WHY IT ALWAYS SEEMS LIKE, NOW I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT ANYBODY IN PARTICULAR BUT THERE IS ALWAYS AT LEAST ONE CONTRARY USHER. YOU EVER NOTICE THAT?
WHEN THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SITTING DOWN, THEY STAND UP.
WHEN THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE STANDING UP, THEY SIT DOWN.
IF THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO BE WEARING WHITE, THEY SHOW UP IN BLACK.
DON’T YOU GET UPSET WITH THEM, THEY’RE OK, THEY’VE JUST GOT A LOOSE CONNECTION.
THERE’S A LOOSE CONNECTION IN THE CHOIR.
(YOU CHOIR MEMBERS SAY AMEN WITH ME NOW) I WONDER WHY IT IS, THAT IF ANYBODY EVER TELLS US WE CAN SING, THE NEXT SUNDAY WE SHOW UP IN SUNGLASSES.
YOU EVER NOTICE THOSE SPECIAL CHOIR MEMBERS; I KNOW YOU DON’T HAVE ANY LIKE THAT HERE.
THEY NEED TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST ONES WHO SHOW UP FOR PRACTICE, BUT THEY’RE THE ONES WHO NEVER SHOW UP.
AND YOU’VE GOT SOME CHOIR MEMBERS WHO NEVER SHOW UP UNTIL THE BIG TIME, THEY DON’T GO TO SMALL CHURCHES BUT WHEN YOU GO TO A BIG PROGRAM OR HAVE A BIG AFFAIR THEY SHOW UP,
HAVEN’T PRACTICED A BIT BUT GUESS WHO’S ON THE FIRST ROW, SUNGLASSES AND ALL.
THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THERE IS A LOOSE CONNECTION.
ANOTHER THING I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT…AND THEN WE’LL MOVE ON, THOSE CHOIR MEMBERS WHO TELL YOU, IF YOU DON’T LET ME LEAD MY SONG.
NOW YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEY NEVER WROTE A SONG,
NEVER PRODUCED A SONG
BUT UNLESS I LEAD MY SONG, I’M GETTING OUT.
WELL I HAVE AND ANNOUNCEMENT, IF YOU DON’T THINK THE CHOIR CAN GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU, GET OUT.
IF YOU THINK THE CHOIR CAN’T GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU…MESS AROUND AND DIE. AND WHEN THEY ROLL YOU IN HERE, THAT SAME CHOIR WILL SING NEARER MY GOD TO THEE OVER YOU JUST AS LOUD AS THEY WOULD FOR ANYBODY ELSE.
THERE’S A LOOSE CONNECTION ON THE DEACON’S BOARD.
I WONDER WHO IT WAS THAT TOLD THE DEACONS THEY BOSS OR OWN THE CHURCH. THEY’LL TELL YOU IN A MINUTE, I WAS HERE WHEN YOU GOT HERE BROTHER PASTOR AND IF YOU DON’T DO LIKE I TELL YOU, YOU’LL BE GONE.
NOW BROTHER DEACON, I’VE GOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT, AS MUCH AS GOD LOVES YOU, THE CHURCH DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU; THE CHURCH BELONGS TO JESUS CHRIST. THE WORD SAYS UPON THIS ROCK, I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH…
THE PASTOR IS THE UNDER SHEPHERD AND THE DEACONS HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO ASSIST THE PASTOR.
WELL YOU CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT A DEACON IS WHEN YOU BREAK UP THE WORD DEACON. IT COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD DIACONUS AND WHAT THAT WORD MEANS IS SERVANT. AND WHEN HAVE YOU EVER KNOWN THE SERVANT TO BE THE BOSS?
THERE WAS A SONG I REMEMBER AS A CHILD THAT SAID IF A DEACON IN THE CHURCH WOULDN’T DO RIGHT, TAKE THE DEACON OFF THE BOARD, PUT THE BOARD ON THE DEACON AND LET THE CHURCH ROLL ON.
THERE’S A LOOSE CONNECTION ON THE MOTHER’S BOARD.
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, MY FATHER BEING A BAPTIST PREACHER, I KNEW SOME SWEET OLD LADIES. AND I USED TO THINK THAT ALL OLD LADIES WERE SWEET.
BUT WHEN I BECAME A PASTOR, I HELD MY FIRST BUSINESS MEETING AND I FOUND THAT THE STICK THEY USED TO WALK WITH COULD ALSO BE USED AS A WEAPON. THEIR SWEET DEMEANOR TURNED SOUR AND WORDS CAME OUT OF THEIR MOUTHS THAT WOULD CAUSE A SEASONED SAILOR TO BLUSH.
NOW, DON’T GET ME WRONG, IF YOU’VE GOT A SWEET OLD LADY, YOU’VE GOT A JEWEL, BUT IF YOU EVER RUN INTO AN OLD DEVIL, YOU WILL CONCLUDE THAT THERE IS NO DEVIL LIKE AN OLD DEVIL.
THERE IS A LOOSE CONNECTION IN THE PULPIT.
WHY IS IT THAT SO MANY PREACHERS COME TO THE PULPIT AND FEEL SO RELAXED, AND SO CONTENT THAT THEY JUST GO RIGHT OFF TO SLEEP?
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN SO MANY PREACHERS WITH A DD DEGREE, WHICH IS AN HONORARY DEGREE AND WE USED TO CALL THEM IN SEMINARY, DIDN’T DO IT DEGREES, WHO WANT TO BE CALLED DOCTOR?
AND THEY’LL TELL YOU IN A MINUTE, I IS A DOCTOR!!
THEY DON’T PREPARE THEMSELVES TO SPEAK BECAUSE THEY SAY THE LORD WILL GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO SAY AND WHEN THEY STAND UP IT IS EVIDENT THAT GOD HAS NOT TALKED TO THEM IN A WHILE AND THEY HAVEN’T TALK TO GOD.
THEY WALK AROUND WITH THOSE BIG CROSSES AROUND THEIR NECKS AND CALL THEMSELVES REV., DR., BECAUSE IT MAKES THEM FEEL IMPORTANT AND MORE HOLY.
I HAVE AND ANNOUNCEMENT, BROTHER PREACHER, GOD IS CALLING ON YOU TO LEAD HIS CHILDREN FROM EARTH TO GLORY AND IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO IT LIKE HE COMMANDED, YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE YOUR CONNECTION RIGHT WITH GOD.
WELL, I’VE GOT ONE MORE GROUP, AND I CALL THEM THE BENCH MEMBERS. YOU KNOW WHO I’M TALKING ABOUT, I DON’T WANT TO DO NOTHING BROTHER PASTOR CAUSE I JUST A BENCH MEMBER.
AND I TELL YOU IT’S BAD TO HAVE A BENCH MEMBER WITH A LOOSE CONECTION. I PUT THEM ALL INTO ONE CATEGORY; I CALL THEM THE TATOR FAMILY.
YOU KNOW WHAT A TATOR IS, DON’T YOU? THE FIRST ONE IS A SPECTATOR. I’M NOT GOING TO PRAISE THE LORD TODAY; I HEARD THAT REV. BENITEZ WAS GOING TO BE PREACHING HERE THIS MORNING SO I JUST CAME BY TO SEE.
THEN YOU’VE GOT ANOTHER TATOR CALLED THE DICTATOR, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO DO NOTHING BUT THEY CAN TELL YOU HOW TO DO EVERYTHING.
THERE IS ANOTHER TATOR CALL THE COMMENTATOR, I DON’T CARE WHAT HAPPENS OR WHAT’S GOING ON THEY’VE GOT SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT IT.
AND THEN THERE IS THE AGITATOR, YOU KNOW WHAT AN AGITATOR IS, DON’T YOU? IF YOU DON’T KNOW, LOOK IN YOUR WASHING MACHINE WHEN YOU GET HOME. THERE IS A LITTLE BLACK SOMETHING IN THERE THAT GOES LIKE THIS (DEMONSTRATE) AND IT DOESN’T HAVE BUT ONE JOB AND THAT IS TO STIR UP DIRT.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME MEMBERS IN YOUR CHURCH FROM THE USHER BOARD TO THE PULPIT AND ALL THEY’RE GOOD FOR IS STIRRING UP DIRT?
AND WHEN THEY GET THE MESS STARTED THEY LOOK FOOLISH AND HIDE THEIR HANDS AND ACT LIKE THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON. DON’T GET MAD WITH THEM, JUST TELL THEM REV, BENITEZ, SAID THEY’VE GOT A LOOSE CONNECTION.
I SAID ALL THAT TO SAY, I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE OR HOW MUCH YOU PRAY, OR HOW WELL YOU KNOW THE LORD; NOBODY IS IMMUNE FROM A LOOSE CONNECTION. ANY OF GOD’S CHILDREN CAN GET A LOOSE CONNECTION.
FOR THE BIBLE TELLS US, THAT DAVID WAS A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART.
DAVID WAS A MAN THAT GOD HAD BLESSED, FOR GOD HAD GIVEN HIM A KINGDOM THAT HE DIDN’T WORK FOR.
HE WAS TALENTED, HE COULD WRITE PSALMS, AND HE COULD PLAY ON HIS HARP, FOR HE WAS A BLESSED MAN.
BUT ONE-DAY DAVID GOT A LOOSE CONNECTION, BECAUSE HE WAS IDLE. AND IT’S DANGEROUS WHEN YOU ARE IDLE FOR SOMEBODY ONCE SAID THAT AN IDLE MIND IS THE DEVILS WORKSHOP.
DAVID WAS WALKING AROUND ON THE ROOF OF HIS HOUSE, LOOKING OVER HIS TERRITORY. IT WAS THE SPRING OF THE YEAR AND THE BIBLE SAYS IT WAS AT THE TIME OF KINGS WHICH MEANT THAT KINGS WENT OUT TO BATTLE. BUT DAVID HAD SENT SOMEBODY ELSE IN HIS PLACE.
AS HE LOOKED AROUND HIS KINGDOM HIS EYES FELL ON THIS BEAUTIFUL WOMAN WHO WAS ON HER ROOF TAKING A BATH. WHEN HE WENT BACK IN HIS HOUSE ALL HE COULD THINK ABOUT WAS THIS WOMAN.
SHE SO INTRIGUED HIM THAT HE SENT MESSENGERS TO FIND OUT WHO SHE WAS.
THE WORD CAME BACK TO HIM THAT HER NAME WAS BATHSHEBA, AND THAT SHE WAS MARRIED TO ONE OF HIS SOLDIERS NAMED URIAH. NOW THAT SHOULD HAVE STOPPED HIM BUT IT DIDN’T.
FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME THAT HE SENT FOR HER AND SHE CAME TO HIM AND HE LAY WITH HER.
SHE CONCEIVED AND SHE KNEW IT WASN’T HER HUSBANDS CHILD BECAUSE HE WAS OUT FIGHTING A WAR. WHEN THE WORD GOT BACK TO DAVID THAT SHE WAS EXPECTING HIS CHILD HE DID LIKE SO MANY MEN DO TODAY, AND I’M PARAPHRASING, HE SAID MY GOD, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO, I’VE MESSED UP NOW.
AND WHEN YOU’VE DONE WRONG THE DEVIL CAN TELL YOU HOW TO GET OUT OF IT, BUT THE MORE HE TELLS YOU ABOUT HOW TO GET OUT THE DEEPER YOU GET IN.
THE DEVIL TOLD HIM YOU’RE NOT IN TROUBLE DAVID, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SEND FOR HER HUSBAND TO COME HOME, AND LET HIM GO IN TO HER AND HE’LL NEVER KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.
BUT URUAH WOULDN’T TAKE THE BAIT.
SO DAVID CAME UP WITH ANOTHER PLAN, AND I’M PARAPHRASING AGAIN. HE SAID I’M GOING TO SEND HIM THE BEST WINE, OLD FERMENTED WINE, AGED WINE, AND WHEN HE DRINKS SOME OF THIS AND GETS DRUNK IT’LL BE ALL OVER. WELL, URIAH GOT AS DRUNK AS HE COULD BUT HE DIDN’T GO IN HIS HOUSE
SO IN DESPERATION, DAVID CAME UP WITH A NEFARIOUS PLAN. HE SENT WORD TO JOAB BY THE HAND OF URIAH AND TOLD HIM TO PLACE URIAH AT THE FRONT OF THE HOTTEST BATTLE AND LEAVE HIM TO DIE.
WHEN WORD REACHED DAVID THAT URIAH HAD BEEN KILLED AS HE HAD PLANNED HE SENT FOR HIS WIFE BATHSHEBA AND AFTER THE CUSTOMARY MOURNING PERIOD WAS OVER HE MARRIED HER.
HE THOUGHT HE HAD COVERED ALL HIS TRACKS. BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING, THIS MORNING, YOU MIGHT BE CROOKED, SLIPPING AND SLIDING, PEEPING AND HIDING, BUT DON’T THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE GETTING BY THAT YOU’RE GETTING AWAY.
GOD WILL ALLOW YOU TO BE WEAK, BUT HE WON’T ALLOW YOU TO BE WICKED.
GOD HAS HIS EYES ON YOU AND HE DOES NOT ALWAYS KNOCK YOU DOWN, BUT WHAT HE DOES IS, HE WITHDRAWS THE RIGHT HAND OF FELLOWHSHIP AND WHEN GOD WITHDRAWS FROM YOU, YOU’RE IN BAD SHAPE.
YOU CAN’T FEEL ANYTHING.
YOU DON’T WANT TO SING.
YOU GET DEPRESSED AND ANXIOUS
AND DON’T TELL ME ABOUT PRAYING…
THERE ARE MANY OF YOU HERE TODAY WHO HAVE A LOOSE CONNECTION. I CAN HEAR SOME OF YOU SAYING, I’M GOING TO MOVE MY MEMBERSHIP. I’M GOING WHERE FOLK PRAISE THE LORD.
THIS CHURCH HAS GOT TO MANY DEVILS IN IT.
HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED IT MIGHT NOT BE THE FOLKS BUT THAT YOUR CONNECTION ISN’T RIGHT?
NOW, SURELY, IF YOU CAN LIVE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY WITH ALL THOSE DEVILS
THE LEAST YOU CAN DO IS COME TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY WITH JUST A FEW DEVILS FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS.
DAVID GOT SO BAD HE COULDN’T WRITE HIS SONGS,
HE COULDN’T PLAY HIS MUSIC, BUT I’VE GOT GOOD NEWS WHEN YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD. GOD WILL NOT LET YOU ALWAYS BE DISCONNECTED.
HE WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO STAY DISCONNECTED
GOD HAS SOMEBODY WHO WILL STOP BY AND TELL YOU WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS.
HE HAD A PREACHER BY THE NAME OF NATHAN.
HE SAID REVEREND NATHAN; I WANT YOU TO GO AND TELL KING DAVID I CAN’T USE HIM ANYMORE BECAUSE HIS CONNECTION IS LOOSE.
I WISH I HAD THE TIME TO TELL YOU ABOUT REV. NATHAN BEING A SCARED PREACHER. AND YOU KNOW IT’S BAD TO BE A SCARED PREACHER.
IF GOD CHOSE YOU, YOU SHOULDN’T BE AFRAID OF WHAT FOLK SAY ABOUT YOU WHEN YOU TELL THEM THE TRUTH.
IF THEY KICK YOU OUT IT’S ALRIGHT BECAUSE GOD ALREADY HAS SOMEPLACE ELSE FOR YOU.
NATHAN, FINALLY IN HIS TIMID WAY GOT THE MESSAGE OVER TO DAVID, AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WANT TO BE RIGHT.
YOU DON’T GET ANGRY, WHEN PEOPLE TELL YOU, THAT YOU’VE BEEN WRONG.
YOU CATCH SOMEBODY ALL THE TIME GETTING ANGRY, WHEN YOU POINT OUT THEIR FAULTS, YOU’LL FIND SOMEBODY, WHOSE NOT WILLING TO BE RIGHT.
DAVID HAD THE AUTHORITY, TO CUT REV. NATHAN’S HEAD OFF, BUT BECAUSE, HE WAS A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART.
HE RECOGNIZED, HOW WRONG HE HAD BEEN.
AND I’M TOLD TODAY, THAT WHEN HE FOUND OUT, JUST HOW WRONG HE HAD BEEN, HE SAT DOWN AND WROTE THE 51ST DIVISION OF PSALMS
HE SAID HAVE MERCY ON ME, OH GOD, ACCORDING TO THY LOVING KINDNESS.
ACCORDING TO THE MULITUDE OF THY TENDER MERCIES, BLOT OUT, MY TRANSGRESSIONS.
LOOK WHAT HE SAYS IN VERSE 3, FOR I ACKNOWLEDGE MY TRANSGRESSIONS, AND MY SIN IS EVER BEFORE ME.
BEHOLD, I WAS SHAPEN IN INIQUITY, AND IN SIN. DID MY MOTHER CONCEIVE ME.
PURGE, ME, WITH HYSSOP AND I SHALL BE CLEAN,
WASH ME, AND I SHALL BE WHITER THAN SNOW.
WHEN HE GOT DOWN TO VERSE 10, CAN’T YOU HEAR HIM AS HE TALKS TO GOD;
LORD I USED TO FEEL YOUR SPIRIT.
I USED TO, FEEL JOY IN MY HEART.
BUT SOMETHING IS WRONG NOW,
MY SIN, HAS BLOCKED OUT YOUR POWER.
MY SIN, HAS GIVEN ME A LOOSE CONNECTION
CORROSION HAD SET IN AND I’VE BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE POWER SOURCE.
THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE HEART THAT YOU GAVE ME. IT’S GOTTEN ALL CLOGGED UP AND DIRTY FROM THE CARES OF THIS OLD WORLD.
I DON’T WANT IT TO BE REMODELED.
I DON’T WANT IT CLEANED UP.
I NEED YOU TO MAKE ANOTHER ONE THAT’S FREE FROM SIN IN OTHER WORDS, CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART OH GOD.
AND WHILE YOU’RE IN THERE, MY SPIRIT HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH SOME CHANGES SO IF YOU WOULD, WOULD YOU PLEASE, RENEW A RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN ME.
CAST ME NOT AWAY FROM YOUR PRESENCE, AND WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T TAKE YOUR HOLY SPIRIT FROM ME.
I WANT TO FEEL THE WAY I USED TO FEEL, RESTORE UNTO ME THE JOY OF THY SALVATION.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW TODAY THAT GOD HEARD HIS PRAYER FOR A LITTLE LATER ON HE WROTE ANOTHER PSALMS.
HE SAID I CALLED ON THE LORD AND HE INCLINED AN EAR UNTO ME.
EVERY NOW AND THEN I GET A LITTLE BIT LIKE DAVID.
I GO SOMEWHERE, I SHOULDN’T GO.
I SAY SOME THINGS, I SHOULDN’T SAY.
I DO SOMETHINGS I SHOULDN’T DO.
BUT I CAN’T DO WRONG AND GO HOME AND SLEEP ALL NIGHT LONG.
YOU SEE, THERE’S SOMETHING ON THE INSIDE THAT TELLS ME I HAVE BEEN DISCONNECTED FROM THE POWER SOURCE.
SO I TELL THE LORD, I REALIZE THAT I GOT A LOOSE CONNECTION.
I CAN’T FEEL YOUR JOY ANYMORE.
I CAN’T FEEL YOUR PEACE ANYMORE.
CREATE IN ME…
