Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn. 00:00:01.06\00:00:02.58 Today on Pressing into His Presence, 00:00:02.61\00:00:04.66 we're going to consider 00:00:04.69\00:00:05.97 how we can experience the grace of God's forgiveness. 00:00:06.00\00:00:09.88 After we've been through the joy of repentance, 00:00:09.91\00:00:13.19 please grab a Bible, a piece of paper and a pen, 00:00:13.22\00:00:16.40 because you may want to jot some scripture references down. 00:00:16.43\00:00:19.51 Welcome to Pressing into His Presence. 00:00:41.34\00:00:43.87 In this series on prayer, 00:00:43.90\00:00:45.70 we're learning various prayer segments, 00:00:45.73\00:00:48.46 if you will, that prepare our heart to meet with God 00:00:48.49\00:00:53.07 and step by step we're learning to draw near to him 00:00:53.10\00:00:57.44 to seek his face in a time of intimate communication. 00:00:57.47\00:01:01.81 And by matter of observation only, 00:01:01.84\00:01:04.38 we're also considering how each segment 00:01:04.41\00:01:07.31 correlates to an area of the sanctuary service. 00:01:07.34\00:01:10.61 Our companion book for this series 00:01:10.64\00:01:13.29 which I was privileged to write 00:01:13.32\00:01:15.09 is also titled Pressing into His Presence. 00:01:15.12\00:01:17.76 So if you're following along in this book, 00:01:17.79\00:01:20.09 today we're starting on Chapter 5. 00:01:20.12\00:01:23.56 In our last two programs, we studied repentance. 00:01:23.59\00:01:27.26 We considered how repentance resembles 00:01:27.29\00:01:30.23 the sanctuary service performed at the altar of burnt offering. 00:01:30.26\00:01:34.92 And we examined the anatomy of sin. 00:01:34.95\00:01:37.83 We thumbed through God's catalog of sins. 00:01:37.86\00:01:40.92 And we learned that confession 00:01:40.95\00:01:42.48 is the clearing house of our conscience. 00:01:42.51\00:01:45.03 The point of that study 00:01:45.06\00:01:46.77 was to awaken our need for our Savior 00:01:46.80\00:01:49.57 and for the Christians 00:01:49.60\00:01:50.78 continued attitude of repentance. 00:01:50.81\00:01:54.41 Before we go on, let's just review 00:01:54.44\00:01:56.24 that five-step process of repentance. 00:01:56.27\00:01:59.24 First we recognize and think differently 00:01:59.27\00:02:02.57 about ungodly behavior. 00:02:02.60\00:02:04.84 Then secondly, godly sorrow causes us to regret our sin. 00:02:04.87\00:02:09.31 Then our attitudes are altered 00:02:09.34\00:02:12.40 and we confess our sins asking for forgiveness. 00:02:12.43\00:02:16.09 The fourth step is to learn to receive God's forgiveness 00:02:16.12\00:02:20.61 applying His healing balm to our wounded soul 00:02:20.64\00:02:24.36 and the fifth step, Halleluiah, 00:02:24.39\00:02:26.82 is that God empowers us to change our conduct 00:02:26.85\00:02:30.85 and to make a U turn 00:02:30.88\00:02:32.70 into the right direction, straight toward Him. 00:02:32.73\00:02:36.24 Now the first three steps were addressed in previous programs. 00:02:36.27\00:02:40.06 Today, we're going to advance 00:02:40.09\00:02:43.15 to the all important conclusion of these final two steps. 00:02:43.18\00:02:47.61 And you might wonder why it's necessary 00:02:47.64\00:02:50.16 to make such a big issue of repentance. 00:02:50.19\00:02:53.43 Confession is so often undervalued 00:02:53.46\00:02:55.58 by the people of God. 00:02:55.61\00:02:57.34 We suffer spiritually when we don't understand its worth. 00:02:57.37\00:03:02.04 One great reward of confession is confidence. 00:03:02.07\00:03:05.67 A clear conscience gives us confidence before God. 00:03:05.70\00:03:11.06 And the Apostle John said, in I John 3:21. 00:03:11.09\00:03:17.49 He said, "Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, 00:03:17.52\00:03:22.17 we have confidence toward God." 00:03:22.20\00:03:25.94 You know, I went through a deep season of repentance 00:03:25.97\00:03:29.96 as I was learning to press into the Lord's presence. 00:03:29.99\00:03:33.34 It's a humbling thing to experience 00:03:33.37\00:03:36.94 as we draw near to our holy God to experience His brightness. 00:03:36.97\00:03:42.03 It reveals that the records of our best efforts 00:03:42.06\00:03:45.45 to do right are seriously smudged and stained. 00:03:45.48\00:03:49.52 I learned the vital necessity of confession of sin 00:03:49.55\00:03:52.81 at the beginning of my prayer 00:03:52.84\00:03:54.59 just as the priest of the sanctuary service 00:03:54.62\00:03:57.43 who dare not approach God without first taking time 00:03:57.46\00:04:01.52 to be cleansed at the courtyard laver. 00:04:01.55\00:04:04.01 In the courtyard the altar and-- 00:04:04.04\00:04:07.39 between the altar and the door of the temple, 00:04:07.42\00:04:09.83 stood a shining bronze laver, 00:04:09.86\00:04:12.51 it was a sacred wash bowl of the sanctuary 00:04:12.54\00:04:16.21 and it was made of two parts. 00:04:16.24\00:04:18.08 The laver served as a cistern 00:04:18.11\00:04:20.53 that stored the daily quantity of water 00:04:20.56\00:04:23.05 released its supply through spouts in its base 00:04:23.08\00:04:26.59 which the base was probably saucer like in shape 00:04:26.62\00:04:30.14 and it served as the washbasin. 00:04:30.17\00:04:33.67 The finest brass was used to fashion this laver. 00:04:33.70\00:04:37.79 It was made from the bronze mirrors 00:04:37.82\00:04:40.07 brought out of Egypt donated by the women 00:04:40.10\00:04:42.88 who served at the door of the tabernacle entrance. 00:04:42.91\00:04:46.20 And the lavers basin performed as a sort of reflection pool 00:04:46.23\00:04:51.29 where the priest could see any pollution on the person 00:04:51.32\00:04:54.74 or on their garments and they washed it away 00:04:54.77\00:04:57.92 before they could enter 00:04:57.95\00:04:59.03 into the tabernacle of God's holy presence. 00:04:59.06\00:05:02.29 The priests were required to wash their hands 00:05:02.32\00:05:05.12 and their feet in the water from the laver 00:05:05.15\00:05:08.02 under penalty of death for failure to do so. 00:05:08.05\00:05:11.61 They were required to inspect themselves 00:05:11.64\00:05:15.00 to wash away all impurities 00:05:15.03\00:05:17.42 and present themselves spotless, 00:05:17.45\00:05:21.03 spotlessly clean before the Lord. 00:05:21.06\00:05:24.06 And the application of our daily need 00:05:24.09\00:05:26.40 to confess our sins is transparent. 00:05:26.43\00:05:30.46 We must revere God's holiness 00:05:30.49\00:05:32.74 and we must come with purity of heart 00:05:32.77\00:05:35.26 and clean hands before His throne of grace. 00:05:35.29\00:05:38.33 Looking into the reflection pool of our conscience, 00:05:38.36\00:05:41.25 we should inspect our hearts and confess our sins. 00:05:41.28\00:05:45.06 Without confession and repentance 00:05:45.09\00:05:47.20 we cannot have confidence that our worship 00:05:47.23\00:05:49.71 is acceptable for our God. 00:05:49.74\00:05:52.22 it says. 00:05:52.25\00:05:57.02 "Let us draw near with a true heart 00:05:57.05\00:06:00.36 in full assurance of faith, 00:06:00.39\00:06:01.86 having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience 00:06:01.89\00:06:05.43 and our bodies washed with pure water." 00:06:05.46\00:06:09.45 The good news is that to us 00:06:09.48\00:06:12.27 a fountain has been opened for sin and uncleanness. 00:06:12.30\00:06:16.32 The guilt of sin is washed from us 00:06:16.35\00:06:18.66 by the blood of the lamb. 00:06:18.69\00:06:20.31 We are washed and sanctified by the word of God 00:06:20.34\00:06:23.71 in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the spirit of God. 00:06:23.74\00:06:27.33 It is not by works of righteousness 00:06:27.36\00:06:29.40 that we are saved but according to God's mercy 00:06:29.43\00:06:33.02 through our daily repentance the washing of regeneration 00:06:33.05\00:06:36.38 and renewing of the Holy Spirit 00:06:36.41\00:06:38.64 will cleanse us from the pollution of sin. 00:06:38.67\00:06:41.98 So let us receive His grace of forgiveness 00:06:42.01\00:06:45.58 that we maybe spotless before our Lord. 00:06:45.61\00:06:49.51 And let us realize our need. 00:06:49.54\00:06:52.00 It never fails to amaze me 00:06:52.03\00:06:54.16 when someone will come up to me and they'll ask, 00:06:54.19\00:06:57.89 do you believe in righteousness by faith? 00:06:57.92\00:07:01.14 Are they kidding? 00:07:01.17\00:07:02.72 Isaiah 64:6 says this 00:07:02.75\00:07:05.93 "We are all like an unclean thing, 00:07:05.96\00:07:09.81 and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags." 00:07:09.84\00:07:15.38 In other words, what Isaiah is saying, 00:07:15.41\00:07:18.12 if you read between the lines is that righteousness by faith 00:07:18.15\00:07:21.93 is the only kind of righteousness there is. 00:07:21.96\00:07:26.43 Dark motives are hidden in the crevasses of our heart 00:07:26.46\00:07:30.61 which can only be exposed and brought to the attention 00:07:30.64\00:07:34.95 under God's great search light of inspection. 00:07:34.98\00:07:40.29 When we're in His presence 00:07:40.32\00:07:42.47 inconsistencies in our conduct are revealed, 00:07:42.50\00:07:46.22 reflecting cracks in our character 00:07:46.25\00:07:49.02 and actually as Lord led me through this teaching, 00:07:49.05\00:07:52.17 I was quite startled at my own sinfulness. 00:07:52.20\00:07:55.18 As I considered my past, 00:07:55.21\00:07:57.06 I blushed at the words my unbridled tongue 00:07:57.09\00:08:00.32 at the one wastefulness of my resources 00:08:00.35\00:08:03.58 and the shame of self-indulgence. 00:08:03.61\00:08:05.82 I blushed at each time I had flaunted 00:08:05.85\00:08:09.16 my flesh nature in the face of the holy God. 00:08:09.19\00:08:13.21 In fact my face was crimson red 00:08:13.24\00:08:15.29 as I considered the conduct of my uncrucified flesh. 00:08:15.32\00:08:20.12 On one particular morning my acts of confession 00:08:20.15\00:08:23.84 engulfed my emotions and almost overwhelming. 00:08:23.87\00:08:28.03 Now I thank you might know what I mean. 00:08:28.06\00:08:30.37 Maybe you know someone 00:08:30.40\00:08:31.63 who is so focused on their own faults 00:08:31.66\00:08:34.21 that they become miserable and dejected. 00:08:34.24\00:08:37.42 They can't see what God is ready, 00:08:37.45\00:08:39.55 willing and able to do for them. 00:08:39.58\00:08:42.87 You know, I came dangerously close 00:08:42.90\00:08:44.91 to this morbid condition that day 00:08:44.94\00:08:47.26 but God came to my rescue 00:08:47.29\00:08:50.03 by teaching me to receive His forgiveness in faith. 00:08:50.06\00:08:55.71 When God impressed me to return to praying 00:08:55.74\00:09:00.49 His scripture promises, His affirmations 00:09:00.52\00:09:03.03 of what He would do in my life, 00:09:03.06\00:09:05.51 He provide-- actually proved to me 00:09:05.54\00:09:08.76 that I had missed the point of confession and repentance. 00:09:08.79\00:09:13.61 God does not call us to grovel in His presence, 00:09:13.64\00:09:18.57 repentance should bring joy. 00:09:18.60\00:09:21.78 The joy is found in 1 John 1:7-9, 00:09:21.81\00:09:27.21 it says this "If we walk in the light 00:09:27.24\00:09:30.92 as He is in the light the blood of Jesus Christ 00:09:30.95\00:09:34.39 His Son cleanses us from all sin. 00:09:34.42\00:09:36.99 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, 00:09:37.02\00:09:39.53 and the truth is not in us. 00:09:39.56\00:09:41.69 But if we confess our sins, 00:09:41.72\00:09:44.03 He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 00:09:44.06\00:09:49.41 and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 00:09:49.44\00:09:53.04 You know, I marvel at God's mercy mingled with grace. 00:09:53.07\00:09:57.19 As we plead to be washed from our wrong doing, 00:09:57.22\00:10:00.82 the blood of Jesus Christ 00:10:00.85\00:10:02.93 cleanses us of all confessed sin. 00:10:02.96\00:10:06.25 God grants us forgiveness, 00:10:06.28\00:10:09.08 the gift that is precious beyond all price. 00:10:09.11\00:10:13.36 Acts 5:31 tells us that repentance is a gift. 00:10:13.39\00:10:17.45 Listen, it says, "Him, Jesus, God has exalted 00:10:17.48\00:10:22.50 to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, 00:10:22.53\00:10:26.68 to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sin." 00:10:26.71\00:10:33.76 Yes, even repentance is a gift. 00:10:33.79\00:10:37.50 We can't do it under our own power, 00:10:37.53\00:10:40.13 but our gracious God will enable us 00:10:40.16\00:10:43.52 to turn away from sin. 00:10:43.55\00:10:45.74 He desires that we should open our hearts 00:10:45.77\00:10:48.62 and receive His gift of forgiveness. 00:10:48.65\00:10:52.48 Grace grants us forgiveness and liberty and access 00:10:52.51\00:10:56.70 to our heavenly Father, the God of new beginnings. 00:10:56.73\00:11:00.54 Indeed His mercies are new every morning. 00:11:00.57\00:11:04.40 Halleluiah. 00:11:04.43\00:11:06.57 And receiving His forgiveness takes our focus 00:11:06.60\00:11:09.82 from what we have done to what God has done. 00:11:09.85\00:11:15.57 Our situation no longer, it changes 00:11:15.60\00:11:20.07 and no longer must we wander in the wasteland of sin. 00:11:20.10\00:11:24.89 You know, God counsels us in Isaiah 43:18, 19. 00:11:24.92\00:11:32.19 He says "Forget the former things, 00:11:32.22\00:11:36.40 do not dwell on the past. 00:11:36.43\00:11:39.09 See, I am doing a new thing! 00:11:39.12\00:11:42.01 Now it springs up, do you not perceive it? 00:11:42.04\00:11:44.21 I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." 00:11:44.24\00:11:50.25 Do you hear the voice of God speaking to you right now? 00:11:50.28\00:11:54.74 Have you confessed your sin? 00:11:54.77\00:11:56.77 Then receive His forgiveness, let go off the past, 00:11:56.80\00:12:00.59 let go of your mistakes 00:12:00.62\00:12:01.83 and let God fulfill His purposes in your life. 00:12:01.86\00:12:05.23 Calling on God to hear our confession 00:12:05.26\00:12:07.76 and forgive our sins can be considered 00:12:07.79\00:12:11.13 a way of rededicating ourselves as His temple. 00:12:11.16\00:12:14.95 Does it not astonish you to consider 00:12:14.98\00:12:17.65 that we are the living temple of the living God? 00:12:17.68\00:12:22.09 Christ in us is our hope of attaining God's glory. 00:12:22.12\00:12:26.15 And He abides in us when we abide in Him. 00:12:26.18\00:12:30.51 Jesus tells us in John 15:4 00:12:30.54\00:12:33.73 that "Abide in me, and I in you. 00:12:33.76\00:12:38.84 As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, 00:12:38.87\00:12:41.50 unless it abides in the vine, 00:12:41.53\00:12:43.86 neither can you, unless you abide in me." 00:12:43.89\00:12:48.06 If you have accepted Christ as your Savior, 00:12:48.09\00:12:51.67 you are grafted into the vine. 00:12:51.70\00:12:54.86 The source of the life giving sap 00:12:54.89\00:12:58.17 which I think that S-A-P is can aptly be used 00:12:58.20\00:13:03.17 as acronym for the spirit's anointing power. 00:13:03.20\00:13:07.71 If we stay connected to divine Christ Jesus, 00:13:07.74\00:13:12.10 we will stay filled with His Holy Spirit. 00:13:12.13\00:13:16.95 You know, David understood 00:13:16.98\00:13:18.67 how important it was to stay connected. 00:13:18.70\00:13:21.38 Listen to these words from his famous prayer of repentance. 00:13:21.41\00:13:27.39 He said in Psalm 51:11. 00:13:27.42\00:13:30.11 "Do not cast me away from your presence, 00:13:30.14\00:13:33.91 and do not take your Holy Spirit from me." 00:13:33.94\00:13:38.13 David understood the presence of God dwells within us 00:13:38.16\00:13:41.95 by His Holy Spirit unless we have quenched 00:13:41.98\00:13:46.96 or extinguished His presence 00:13:46.99\00:13:49.18 by the continual practice of sin. 00:13:49.21\00:13:52.42 But even so once we confess 00:13:52.45\00:13:55.87 which is like cleansing our temple, 00:13:55.90\00:13:58.06 we can ask to be filled afresh by His spirit. 00:13:58.09\00:14:02.04 Here's what our Lord and Savior 00:14:02.07\00:14:04.08 instructed us to do in Luke 11, 00:14:04.11\00:14:07.27 we'll read verse 9 and verse 13 from the amplified version. 00:14:07.30\00:14:11.95 I love this. 00:14:11.98\00:14:13.27 He said, "So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking 00:14:13.30\00:14:18.18 and it shall be given to you, seek and keep on seeking 00:14:18.21\00:14:23.21 and you shall find, knock and keep on knocking 00:14:23.24\00:14:26.97 and the door shall be opened to you 00:14:27.00\00:14:29.74 how much more will your heavenly Father 00:14:29.77\00:14:33.12 give the Holy Spirit to those who ask 00:14:33.15\00:14:36.98 and continue to ask Him!" 00:14:37.01\00:14:42.58 When King Solomon, the wisest man 00:14:42.61\00:14:45.04 who ever lived dedicated God's temple, 00:14:45.07\00:14:48.28 he repeatedly called upon God to hear and forgive. 00:14:48.31\00:14:53.00 Solomon knew that the people 00:14:53.03\00:14:54.53 would fall short of God's glory, 00:14:54.56\00:14:56.41 but he trusted that God was ready 00:14:56.44\00:14:58.66 and able to hear the prayers of the penitent sinner 00:14:58.69\00:15:01.84 and willing to bestow the gift of forgiveness 00:15:01.87\00:15:05.02 to sincere hearted believers. 00:15:05.05\00:15:07.44 It was after his prayer of dedication 00:15:07.47\00:15:10.42 and the praises of the people in worship 00:15:10.45\00:15:13.08 that the cloud of God's glory filled the temple. 00:15:13.11\00:15:17.07 For us to be openhearted and ready to receive 00:15:17.10\00:15:21.63 this most special gift of forgiveness, 00:15:21.66\00:15:24.98 we must likewise be convinced of God's ability 00:15:25.01\00:15:30.81 to hear and forgive. 00:15:30.84\00:15:32.99 And God promised in 2 Chronicle 7:14. 00:15:33.02\00:15:37.37 He said, "If my people 00:15:37.40\00:15:38.60 who are called by My name will humble themselves, 00:15:38.63\00:15:42.91 and pray and seek My face, 00:15:42.94\00:15:45.18 and turn from their wicked ways, 00:15:45.21\00:15:47.54 then I will hear from heaven, 00:15:47.57\00:15:49.32 and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 00:15:49.35\00:15:54.77 Humble yourself, seek his face, confess your sin 00:15:54.80\00:15:59.29 and believe that the righteous judge of the universe 00:15:59.32\00:16:02.55 will dismiss the case against you 00:16:02.58\00:16:04.48 and declare you pardoned, then just as Salomon asked God 00:16:04.51\00:16:08.80 to clothe the priests with salvation 00:16:08.83\00:16:12.23 and to arise to his resting place in the temple. 00:16:12.26\00:16:15.71 You can now trust that you've been clothed 00:16:15.74\00:16:17.68 in the garment of salvation. 00:16:17.71\00:16:19.56 And you can do as Jesus said, 00:16:19.59\00:16:22.05 you can invite God to fill you again 00:16:22.08\00:16:25.27 with His Holy Spirit. 00:16:25.30\00:16:27.79 You know, Isaiah 1:18, 00:16:27.82\00:16:30.15 records these wonderful words of the Lord. 00:16:30.18\00:16:33.57 He says "Come now, and let us reason together,'' 00:16:33.60\00:16:38.02 Says the Lord, "Though your sins are as scarlet, 00:16:38.05\00:16:42.32 they will be as white as snow." 00:16:42.35\00:16:45.20 God invites us to come before Him, 00:16:45.23\00:16:48.67 to press into His presence, to consider our sinfulness 00:16:48.70\00:16:53.21 and to receive the gift of repentance. 00:16:53.24\00:16:56.56 Though our garments are tainted with sin, 00:16:56.59\00:16:59.44 the Creator offers to wash and purify us, 00:16:59.47\00:17:03.94 that His image maybe reflected in us 00:17:03.97\00:17:07.15 with the brilliance superior to the sun's reflection 00:17:07.18\00:17:11.24 on pure white snow. 00:17:11.27\00:17:13.98 That's why David prayed in Psalms 51. 00:17:14.01\00:17:18.05 He said, "Lord wash me thoroughly from my iniquity 00:17:18.08\00:17:22.69 and cleanse me from my sin, wash me 00:17:22.72\00:17:25.90 and I shall be whiter than snow." 00:17:25.93\00:17:28.68 David understood God's repentance process 00:17:28.71\00:17:32.69 and he yearned for the blessing of its outcome. 00:17:32.72\00:17:37.19 God would restore to him 00:17:37.22\00:17:39.31 the joy of His salvation by cleansing him of sin. 00:17:39.34\00:17:45.01 Revelation 1:5 speaks of Jesus Christ, 00:17:45.04\00:17:50.06 the faithful witnesses who loved us 00:17:50.09\00:17:53.40 and washed us from our sins in His own blood. 00:17:53.43\00:17:58.69 Through repentance our sin stained robes are washed 00:17:58.72\00:18:06.10 and they're made white in the blood of the Lamb. 00:18:06.13\00:18:09.06 We are redeemed through His blood. 00:18:09.09\00:18:12.55 We receive forgiveness of sins 00:18:12.58\00:18:15.22 according to the glorious riches of His grace. 00:18:15.25\00:18:18.72 I know that the joy of repentance 00:18:18.75\00:18:20.95 wasn't fully disclosed in our previous programs, 00:18:20.98\00:18:23.91 but let me ask you, are you getting happy yet? 00:18:23.94\00:18:28.04 Well, if you still need a little more, 00:18:28.07\00:18:31.15 here's something that ought 00:18:31.18\00:18:32.86 to make your heart leap for joy. 00:18:32.89\00:18:36.31 When God forgives, He forgets. 00:18:36.34\00:18:40.15 Let me prove this to you 00:18:40.18\00:18:41.64 from a scripture found in 1 Kings 14:8 00:18:41.67\00:18:45.60 and it is an amazing scripture. 00:18:45.63\00:18:48.42 It records what God had to say about David after his death. 00:18:48.45\00:18:53.58 These are the words of the Lord. 00:18:53.61\00:18:55.42 He said, "You have not been as My servant David, 00:18:55.45\00:19:00.19 who kept My commandments 00:19:00.22\00:19:02.16 and who followed Me with all of his heart, 00:19:02.19\00:19:06.31 to do only what was right in My eyes." 00:19:06.34\00:19:11.66 Well, you know, this is something 00:19:11.69\00:19:12.88 that I know that these words were direct quote from God 00:19:12.91\00:19:16.91 and it makes me really trust the Bible 00:19:16.94\00:19:18.95 because mere man would have made 00:19:18.98\00:19:21.50 mention of David's guilt in the murder of Uriah. 00:19:21.53\00:19:24.97 As actually the author of 1 Kings 00:19:25.00\00:19:26.89 proves in the very next chapter 00:19:26.92\00:19:28.76 where in 1 Kings 15:5. 00:19:28.79\00:19:30.56 Listen to what, when he is not quoting 00:19:30.59\00:19:32.96 the direct words of the Lord, 00:19:32.99\00:19:34.68 here's how the author of Kings says it, 00:19:34.71\00:19:37.16 he says, "David did what was right 00:19:37.19\00:19:39.93 in the eyes of the Lord 00:19:39.96\00:19:41.23 and had not turned aside from anything 00:19:41.26\00:19:43.88 that He commanded him all the days of his life 00:19:43.91\00:19:46.69 except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 00:19:46.72\00:19:52.15 Man is always going to point out sin, but not God. 00:19:52.18\00:19:57.63 He said David kept His commandments, 00:19:57.66\00:20:00.85 followed Him with all of his heart 00:20:00.88\00:20:04.21 and did only what was right in His eyes. 00:20:04.24\00:20:08.16 In this passage God was sending a message to the King Jeroboam, 00:20:08.19\00:20:13.03 He was prophesying 00:20:13.06\00:20:14.29 the destruction of Jeroboam's house 00:20:14.32\00:20:16.76 because the king did not followed God 00:20:16.79\00:20:18.88 with all of his heart like David. 00:20:18.91\00:20:21.20 But wait a minute, David was buried in his grave. 00:20:21.23\00:20:25.32 Why would God say that David 00:20:25.35\00:20:28.01 who was guilty of adultery, guilty of murder, 00:20:28.04\00:20:31.72 guilty of breaking all of God's commandments, 00:20:31.75\00:20:34.74 why would God say that God, 00:20:34.77\00:20:37.46 that David had kept His commandments 00:20:37.49\00:20:40.62 and done only what was right in His eyes? 00:20:40.65\00:20:44.57 I think Psalms 103:12 00:20:44.60\00:20:47.10 may actually answer our question. 00:20:47.13\00:20:50.45 It says "As far as the east is from the west, 00:20:50.48\00:20:56.40 so far has He removed our transgressions from us." 00:20:56.43\00:21:01.40 Wow. 00:21:01.43\00:21:03.53 God is not a man that He could lie. 00:21:03.56\00:21:06.96 It seems obvious to me that the only reason 00:21:06.99\00:21:10.41 that God would declare David's absolute innocence 00:21:10.44\00:21:14.40 is that God forgets the sins that we ask Him to forgive. 00:21:14.43\00:21:19.15 Halleluiah. What a thing. 00:21:19.18\00:21:21.19 Let's look at other scriptures that support this truth. 00:21:21.22\00:21:24.47 God said in Isaiah 43:25. 00:21:24.50\00:21:29.13 These are the words of the Lord. 00:21:29.16\00:21:31.07 "I, even I, am He who blots out 00:21:31.10\00:21:35.62 and cancels your transgressions, 00:21:35.65\00:21:38.14 for My own sake, 00:21:38.17\00:21:39.51 and I will not remember your sins." 00:21:39.54\00:21:44.45 Then He speaks again in Isaiah 44:22 saying 00:21:44.48\00:21:49.65 "I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, 00:21:49.68\00:21:52.80 your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins. 00:21:52.83\00:21:56.10 Return to Me, for I have redeemed you." 00:21:56.13\00:22:00.91 And His New Testament promise 00:22:00.94\00:22:03.06 in Hebrews 8:10-12 says it this way. 00:22:03.09\00:22:07.87 "This is the covenant" He's speaking of the new covenant. 00:22:07.90\00:22:11.79 "I will put my laws in their minds 00:22:11.82\00:22:14.71 and write them on their hearts, 00:22:14.74\00:22:16.62 and I will be their God, and they shall be my people, 00:22:16.65\00:22:20.85 their sins and their lawless deeds 00:22:20.88\00:22:24.06 I will remember no more." 00:22:24.09\00:22:27.63 As we confess our sins in sincere hearted repentance, 00:22:27.66\00:22:34.47 God applies the blood of Jesus Christ 00:22:34.50\00:22:37.42 to blot out their stain. 00:22:37.45\00:22:39.10 They are covered and they're cancelled in the memory of God. 00:22:39.13\00:22:42.68 When He looks upon our record all 00:22:42.71\00:22:44.33 He sees is the blood of Jesus, indeed His grace is sufficient. 00:22:44.36\00:22:50.74 Oh, what joy? 00:22:50.77\00:22:52.38 Oh, how I hope your heart is soaring right now. 00:22:52.41\00:22:56.27 If its not, I hope you go back 00:22:56.30\00:22:58.48 and meditate on these scriptures in this segment 00:22:58.51\00:23:01.71 and ask God to illuminate the truth of the grace 00:23:01.74\00:23:06.29 of forgiveness in your mind. 00:23:06.32\00:23:08.21 You know, I can't think 00:23:08.24\00:23:09.83 of better news to share with you. 00:23:09.86\00:23:12.25 There are still some more wonderful truths 00:23:12.28\00:23:14.23 that we will examine but in my opinion 00:23:14.26\00:23:17.12 this is as good as it gets 00:23:17.15\00:23:19.83 as Micah wrote in Micah 7:7-9. 00:23:19.86\00:23:24.85 He says "I will look to the Lord, 00:23:24.88\00:23:29.40 I will wait for the God of my salvation, 00:23:29.43\00:23:33.20 My God will hear me. 00:23:33.23\00:23:35.64 Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, 00:23:35.67\00:23:39.33 when I fall, I will arise, when I sit in darkness, 00:23:39.36\00:23:44.61 the Lord will be a light to me. 00:23:44.64\00:23:49.03 I will bear the indignation of the Lord, 00:23:49.06\00:23:51.18 because I have sinned against Him, 00:23:51.21\00:23:53.41 until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. 00:23:53.44\00:23:58.00 He will bring me forth to the light, 00:23:58.03\00:24:00.77 I will see His righteousness." 00:24:00.80\00:24:03.17 Now, there is one condition that I must add 00:24:06.51\00:24:11.04 because Christ added it first. 00:24:11.07\00:24:15.09 We are expected even commanded to forgive others. 00:24:15.12\00:24:20.76 And although many would like 00:24:20.79\00:24:21.99 to sweep this topic under the rug, 00:24:22.02\00:24:24.94 Jesus was adamant about us 00:24:24.97\00:24:27.50 developing a forgiving heart towards others. 00:24:27.53\00:24:30.20 He does not lay down the gauntlet 00:24:30.23\00:24:32.35 to challenge us to a losing battle. 00:24:32.38\00:24:35.55 Everything that he asks of us He will empower us to do. 00:24:35.58\00:24:41.26 Some Christians are alarmed to learn 00:24:41.29\00:24:43.60 that they must forgive an offending party 00:24:43.63\00:24:46.57 who has wounded them, just the thought of it 00:24:46.60\00:24:49.52 can make hearts raise and breathing accelerate. 00:24:49.55\00:24:53.47 If this describes you, please be assure 00:24:53.50\00:24:57.37 that just as God said for my own sake, 00:24:57.40\00:25:01.12 I will not remember your sins. 00:25:01.15\00:25:04.13 It is for your own earthly and eternal benefit 00:25:04.16\00:25:09.57 that Christ commands you to forgive others. 00:25:09.60\00:25:13.70 Jesus taught His disciples to pray in this manner. 00:25:13.73\00:25:18.27 He said, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. 00:25:18.30\00:25:24.48 And in Mark 11:25-26. 00:25:24.51\00:25:30.63 He also said, "And whenever you stand praying, 00:25:30.66\00:25:37.05 if you have anything against any one, forgive him. 00:25:37.08\00:25:42.16 That your Father in heaven may also forgives you. 00:25:42.19\00:25:45.63 But if you do not forgive, 00:25:48.94\00:25:51.43 neither will your Father in heaven 00:25:51.46\00:25:53.25 forgive your trespasses." 00:25:53.28\00:25:56.66 Now that's a sobering thought, isn't it? 00:25:56.69\00:25:59.14 Here we are talking about the joy of repentance, 00:25:59.17\00:26:04.16 the grace of forgiveness, the idea that God can cancel 00:26:04.19\00:26:11.25 the memory of our sin 00:26:11.28\00:26:13.34 and look upon us as being pure as new snow 00:26:13.37\00:26:19.47 and yet sometimes we are so unforgiving, 00:26:19.50\00:26:25.36 but if we don't learn how to forgive 00:26:25.39\00:26:30.15 then we can end up unforgiven. 00:26:30.18\00:26:32.79 Now I don't want you to let this tamper your joy. 00:26:32.82\00:26:36.53 I'm sorry that we are out of time 00:26:36.56\00:26:38.78 and that I'm having to stop on this 00:26:38.81\00:26:41.37 but I want you to be sure and join us next time, 00:26:41.40\00:26:46.12 because so many of us like I went through 00:26:46.15\00:26:51.07 don't know how to truly forgive somebody 00:26:51.10\00:26:54.60 that has done us a very serious wrong. 00:26:54.63\00:26:58.04 But next time on our next program 00:26:58.07\00:27:00.94 we are going to uncover 00:27:00.97\00:27:02.81 how God can empower us to forgive others. 00:27:02.84\00:27:07.44 And I believe that you're going to be very blessed. 00:27:07.47\00:27:11.79 I hope that you are enjoying this series. 00:27:11.82\00:27:14.60 We have thus far looked at the idea 00:27:14.63\00:27:18.51 of entering into His gates 00:27:18.54\00:27:21.35 with thanksgiving and pressing forward, 00:27:21.38\00:27:25.24 walking through His courts with praise 00:27:25.27\00:27:27.84 and then we've talked about repentance 00:27:27.87\00:27:32.48 and confession of sin 00:27:32.51\00:27:34.40 and we've talked about receiving 00:27:34.43\00:27:37.25 that five step process of repentance 00:27:37.28\00:27:39.94 which ends with receiving the grace of His repentance. 00:27:39.97\00:27:45.34 And next time we're going to see how God can teach us 00:27:45.37\00:27:49.58 and empower us to be as gracious as He is. 00:27:49.61\00:27:53.52 A prayer for you is that the grace of our Lord 00:27:53.55\00:27:56.49 and Savior Jesus Christ, the love of the Father 00:27:56.52\00:27:59.42 and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit 00:27:59.45\00:28:02.70 will be with you always. 00:28:02.73\00:28:04.71 Thank you for sharing this time with us. 00:28:04.74\00:28:07.39 And we hope to see you next time. 00:28:07.42\00:28:09.58