Text: “Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” (Psalm 32:11)
How do you feel this morning? Is that a good question? You might not think so. You might say, “Do I look like I feel good?” You know that we all have some issues in life. Our body just doesn’t function like it used to. You might not feel 25 years old.
I have pain when I move my arms or legs because of the arthritis. I can’t walk as far as I would like to because of my heart and my lungs limit my activity. I used to have 20/20 vision, but something has caused that to change.
At times I have to ask people to repeat their words to me because for some reason, I can’t hear all their words. I can’t eat or drink anything I want because of my diabetes, my ulcer, my colon, my allergies, my heartburn, or my teeth.
All these things may be true, but I am asking how you feel deep down in your heart. Physically, none of us are like we used to be. These bodies are going to wear out, but remember “….your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Are you “….glad in the LORD...and…can you shout for joy…? (v. 11) I ask this question because there are “things” that can interfere with your being glad, joyful, or happy.
I believe there are times when we have all felt bad. I am not talking about feeling bad because of some physical aliment or condition, but I am talking about feeling bad because of something you have done to someone or something you have said to someone. In other words, you have hurt someone and now you have a guilty feeling.
Maybe you have taken what belonged to another person. You showed greed by claiming what rightfully belonged to someone else. Perhaps you spoke to someone in a very unkind way giving them the impression you were superior to them. Possibly you turned away from one who needed your help or assistance. Maybe someone was in need of food or drink and you walked away from them.
All of us have likely done some of these things. We are not perfect by any means. We all have a selfish streak somewhere in our system. There are periods of time when greed creeps in and gives us temporary high and then suddenly drops us making us feel lower than a snake-in-the-grass. Have you ever felt like that?
Some people have a tendency to want more than they need. They may even take advantage of other people in order to fulfill their wants. Pride may creep into the picture giving the person an inflated ego, thus projecting a picture of superiority.
Anger may show its’ ugly shadow when one person has such determination to acquire or to do something that they lose control of their actions and words. This can and probably has happened to most of us. The question I have is this: “How did we feel when we realized our wrongdoing?” Did we feel good about our actions? Were we happy with ourselves? Did we have a smile upon our face? Were we miserable?
When we do any of these things we have committed sinful actions. We have placed a barrier between us and the other person. What is worse is that we have set ourselves apart from Almighty God. We have moved away from His love, compassion, and understanding. In the process, we have committed ill-feelings with the other person involved. We have messed up.
Our heart is hurting after we come to realize what we have done. We are miserable. Not a single one of us here wants to be miserable, but there are some people who seem to strive on misery. The people who are miserable are not happy people.
There is no joy in their heart. They are not concerned about their Maker and what He has done or can do for them. There is no close relationship to their God. In fact, they don’t even think about Him.
No one has to be miserable. No one has to live life under the burden of sin. No one has to carry the load of iniquity alone. No one has to feel as though all is lost and they are worthless.
Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gently and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
When we are living in a sinful state or living for self, we are carrying a heavy load. When we transgress the Law we move away from the presence of our God. When we sin we are setting up a barrier between us and God.
God does not want this to happen. His arms are always stretched forth to us in an open mode. His voice is calling out to us to come to Him. His grace is sufficient to cover all of our sins. He has already taken all our sins and deposited them at the foot of the Cross. His love for us is so great for each of us that He died and paid the price we could never afford to pay.
How do you feel deep down within the chambers of your heart? If there is any heavy feeling or ill-feeling, it can be lifted and you can be the happy person full of joy as Gods wants you to be. The Father has a blessing for you and anyone else who will accept it. What does this blessing bring to the forefront? It brings happiness and joy.
“Happy are those whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned” (Psalm 32:1). Why are they happy? They are happy because they no longer carry anything that weights them down. There is no wrong in their system. There is no guilty feeling. There is no worry. They are at peace with themselves, with other people and with their Creator.
“Happy is the man whom the LORD does not accuse of doing wrong and who is free from all deceit” (v.2). No one likes to be accused of something by another person and certainly no one wants to be accused by God. Our God wants us to be at peace and be happy with life. He sent His Son to pay our sin debt and set us free. He is a specialist at forgiveness. His grace is abundant and free to each of us.
We are just like the psalmist when he said, “When I did not confess my sins, I was worn out from crying all day long” (v.3). I believe we have all carried a sin burden that really wore us out. The load was so heavy that we could not eat, we could not sleep, and we just cried because we felt so miserable.
Our misery stemmed from something we did that we should not have done; something we said that we should not have said, or something we thought that should not have entered our mind. We lost our peace within. We lose our peace when sin has made entry into our life. We are no longer the person we should be because a barrier has been placed between us and Almighty God.
Our joy can be retrieved when we confess our sins and ask God for forgiveness for our actions. The Lord does not punish us for our sins. We bring the punishment upon ourselves. The Psalmist said, “Day and night you punished me, LORD; my strength was completely drained” (v.4). Our strength was drained because we delayed in coming before Almighty God; confessing our sins, and asking Him for forgiveness.
The Lord already knows how we feel. He knows what we have done. We cannot hide anything from Him. The length of time we feel drained of strength and really feel bad depends on how long it takes us to want to feel better and humbly come before our God. God is always waiting for us to come to Him so that He can restore our happiness and joy. He is a God of forgiveness.
Scripture tells us that King David was a terrible sinner. He committed adultery, murder, and he was a liar. On the flip-side, David was a shepherd, poet, protector in that he killed Goliath, and he was a king. David sinned many times, yet he quickly confessed and repented of his wrong actions.
We have all sinned. We are sinners, but we are sinners saved by grace. That grace is the Grace of God. David had faith just like us. He believed God was a forgiving and just God. As Christians, we believe the same thing or should believe the same.
When David sinned he knew it just as we know when we sin. When he confessed his sin and repented, it was from the very, very depth of his heart. This is an example for us to follow. Do you know what David received in return for his confessed sin and obedience to God? He received joy and peace in his life and deep within his soul. He knew that when God forgives sin, He forgets sin.
Story: “When God Forgives, He Forgets”
How different God’s pardon is from ours! So often we forgive as did the mother of the little girl who had been good a whole week, and asked mother for a favor. “I know” was the answer, “that you have been good all this week, but you know your were bad last week.” In a passionate burst of feeling the little one exclaimed: “Oh, mother, you are not one bit like God. When He forgives He doesn’t keep throwing it up afterward.”
-------------------Christian Endeavor World
David took the route of confession and repentance which led to forgiveness and joy. We have that same opportunity. We can do the same thing. We can take the same route. David learned from his sin, therefore he did not have to continue suffering in his sinful state. His burden had been lifted. Joy and happiness returned.
There are times we do not seem to learn from our sinful acts. We have a tendency to do it again. When we continue to live in sin, we continue to bear the consequences brought about by our sinful acts. When we continue to sin, our life is not what it should be. We are not the person God intended for us to be. We lose our zest for living, the joy of having peace within our heart, and we lose the close relationship with our Creator.
We make a terrible mistake when we think God had lost hope in us. When we think we have sinned so much that He has given up on us, we feel helpless, hopeless, and worthless. God loves us no matter what sin or sins we have committed. What more evidence could one ask for than what God did for each one of us when “He gave His only begotten Son, (and said) whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Story: “The Lord’s Answer”
A man once said to a servant of the Lord: “I am such a helpless, miserable sinner; there is no hope for me. I have prayed, and resolved and tried, and vowed until I am sick of my unavailing efforts.”
“Do you believe that Christ died for our sins, and rose again?” was the reply.
“Of course I do.”
“If he were here on earth in bodily and visible form, what would you do?”
“I would go to Him at once.”
“What would you ask Him?”
“I would ask Him to forgive and save me.”
“What would He answer?”
The man was silent.
“Well, what would He answer?”
At last the light came into his eyes, and a smile of peace stole over his face as he whispered, “He would answer, ‘I will.’”
And the man went away believing, rejoicing “with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”
Since then he has been working faithfully for the Christ who saved him for nothing.
----------------------Sunday School Times
“Then I confessed my sins to you; I did not conceal my wrongdoings. I decided to confess them to you and you forgave all my sins” (v.5). When sins are truly and whole-heartedly confessed the result is forgiveness of those sins.
In addition, we have opened up the avenue of communication with Almighty God. There is no separation or barrier between the one who has confessed sin and God. The righteous relationship has not been restored.
We can now talk to the Father in prayer and when adversity and difficulty comes our way, we have One who will rescue us and keep us safe. The cover of grace is like an umbrella to us. God is willing to lead us and guide us down the straight and narrow road.
Story: “Is This the Right Road Home?
Is this the right road home, O Lord?
The clouds are dark and still,
The stony path is hard to tread,
Each step brings some fresh ill.
I thought the way would brighter grow,
And that the sun with warmth would glow,
And joyous songs from free hearts flow.
Is this the Right Road Home?
Yes, child, this very path I trod,
The clouds were dark for me,
The stony path was sharp and hard.
Not sight, but faith, could see
That at the end the sun shines bright,
Forever where there is not night,
And glad hearts rest from earth’s fierce fight,
It is the Right road Home!
--------------Rosalind Goforth, in Sunday School Times
Believe it or not, God did not make anything that was not good and He did not make any stupid or dumb children as He did animals. God does not guide us by putting a bit in our mouth and a bridle on our head. He guides us by His Word. All we have to do is to follow.
Conclusion:
We all sin on a regular basis. We are all children of a Heavenly Father who loves us and wants us to spend eternity with Him in His kingdom. He is ready and willing to hear our confession, forgive and forget our sins, and restore our relationship with Him.
Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door (door of your heart) and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).
He is willing to forgive our sins, but are we willing to believe Him and accept His forgiveness. Are we willing to accept what Jesus has to offer?
Story: “When a Man Cannot Be Pardoned”
God is gracious, but he will not force the acceptance of His grace upon men. In 1829 George Wilson, in Pennsylvania, was sentenced to be hanged by a United States Court for robbing the mails and for murder.
President Andrew Jackson pardoned him, but this was refused, and Wilson insisted that it was not a pardon unless he accepted it. That was a point of law never before raised, and the President called the Supreme Court to decide.
Chief Justice John Marshall gave the following decision: “A pardon is a paper, the value of which depends upon its acceptance by the person implicated. It is hardly to be supposed that one under sentence of death would refuse to accept a pardon, but if it is refused, it is not pardon. George Wilson must be hanged!” And he was hanged.
Provisionally the Gospel of Christ which is the power of God unto salvation is for every one irrespective of what he may be or what he may have done. Potentially, it is only to “every one that believeth.”
-------------------Sunday School Times
Confession and repentance of sin leads to forgiveness and joy. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17).
“Happy are those whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned” (Psalm 32:1).
Amen.
