Seventh Sunday of Easter: Psalm 51:1⁠–⁠12

Missionary puts heavy law on people so he can protect his pineapple crop. Stopped supplying them goods, etc. He decides to give the pineapples to the Lord and people still keep stealing them but funny things happen to these natives. The natives are pre-enlightenment over in the jungle of New Guinea; they actual think that sin has consequences.

The Pineapple Story, Page 32

He said, “To-wan, why don’t you get angry anymore?”

Otto said, “I gave that garden away. It’s not mine anymore. So you are not stealing my pineapples. I don’t have to get angry anymore.” Another guy started to think even more. He asked, “Who did you give that garden to?” They looked around, “Did he give it to you?” “Did he give it to you?” “Whose is it anyway?” “Whose pineapples are we stealing?”

Then Otto told him, “I gave the garden to God.”

They said, “To God! Hasn’t He got any pineapples where He is?”

Otto said, “I don’t know whether He has or not, but I did given that garden to God.”

The natives went back to the village and said, “Do you know whose pineapples we are stealing? Too-wan has given them to God.” They all started thinking about that one. They came back in a group and said, “Too-wan,

you should not have done it. Why don’t you get those pineapples back from God?” “No wonder we aren’t getting the pigs when we go out hunting.” “No wonder our babies are getting sick.” “No wonder our wives are not giving birth.” “No wonder the fish aren’t biting.” Then they said, “We shouldn’t steal them anymore if they are God’s, should we?” They were afraid of God.

The missionary was sent out to love people but all he does is put laws on them. It's normal.

There are consequences. But you think that as long as no one sees you can get away with it.

2 Samuel 11:1 (KJV) And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

You are a royal priesthood, a nation of kings. Each father here is a priest and king in his home. "My goal in life is to help my husband to succeed," Judy Gowers said. Imagine what some "enlightened" people would think of this statement. Judy Gowers, one of our teachers, is not dumb; though she is not very unobtrusive and not out to impress people with what she knows. Isn't it wonderful that she is our gift? She has an unenlightened view of being a wife.

2 Samuel 11:2 (KJV) And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

2 Samuel 11:3-7 (KJV) And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? [4] And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. [5] And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.

[6] And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. [7] And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

Remember, God doesn't define adultery as just something with another person, but, adulterous, evil thoughts - spiritual adultery, idolatry. If you have envy and want to be conformed to the lusts of this world, James called it adultery.

2 Samuel 11:8-11 (KJV) And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king. [9] But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house. [10] And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? [11] And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.

This establishes Joab as truly an honorable man. His thoughts are not towards men but towards God. He is the loyal servant of Judah, Israel and David.

When you understand how to interpret metaphors, you'll understand why Doug Wilson told a group of pastors to discuss the play Hamlet. You will also have much more fun.

2 Samuel 11:12-17 (KJV) And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow. [13] And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

[14] And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. [15] And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. [16] And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. [17] And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

You can imagine what Joab starts to think about the king.

2 Samuel 11:18-27 (KJV) Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; [19] And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, [20] And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall? [21] Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

[22] So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for. [23] And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate. [24] And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. [25] Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.

[26] And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. [27] And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.

2 Samuel 12:1 (KJV) And the Lord sent Nathan (the type of a pastor) unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

Nathan doesn't always speak smooth things.

2 Samuel 12:2-5 (KJV) The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: [3] But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. [4] And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. [5] And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:

Even though David had quenched the Spirit and displeased the Lord, he still had discernment.

2 Samuel 12:2-6 (KJV) The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: [3] But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. [4] And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. [5] And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: [6] And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

David's is totally unaware of the corruption of his own heart and is going to pass judgment on another.

2 Samuel 12:7-12 (KJV) And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; [8] And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. [9] Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. [10] Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. [11] Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. [12] For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

Pivotal verse:

2 Samuel 12:13 (KJV) And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

Psalm 51:1-4 (KJV) To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. [2] Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. [3] For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. [4] Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

What's this all about? We're Christians, sanctified, set apart? The Christian natural thing to do is write this off as Old Testament. Don't do that.

These are pre-enlightenment, agrarian people. They are close to the land and know that there is a correlation between the way your life is and the way you think and act. God sends famine, earthquakes; war and evil.

Deut. 28:2-43 (KJV) And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. [3] Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. [4] Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. [5] Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. [6] Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. [7] The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. [8] The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. [9] The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways. [10] And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. [11] And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee. [12] The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. [13] And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: [14] And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

Deut. 28:15-44 (KJV) But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: [16] Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. [17] Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. [18] Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. [19] Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. [20] The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me. [21] The Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. [22] The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish. [23] And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. [24] The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

[25] The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. [26] And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away. [27] The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. [28] The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: [29] And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee. [30] Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof. [31] Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them. [32] Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand. [33] The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway: [34] So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. [35] The Lord shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.

[36] The Lord shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone. [37] And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the Lord shall lead thee. [38] Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it. [39] Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them. [40] Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit. [41] Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity. [42] All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume. [43] The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. [44] He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.

Deut. 28:45-47 (KJV) Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: [46] And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever. [47] Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;

I hope you're reading this through law and gospel or you will be condemned, or hate me.

There are blessings and curses for a Christian. Ultimately, I know you're going to heaven.

The word NOW means NOW.

Genesis 3:1-5 (KJV) Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

[2] And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: [3] But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. [4] And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: [5] For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

The serpent knows so much. He knows that if you sow to the flesh you won't reap. “Gal 6:7 is a lie because it's the Word of God and God is a liar.”

Genesis 3:6-7 (KJV) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. [7] And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Shame will come when you look upon an evil thing. It will come no matter how far you push it down in your conscious mind. Shame will lead to more and more evil; listening to things you shouldn't listen to. Get a life!

I’m after something good, but not yet.

Genesis 3:8-9 (KJV) And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. [9] And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

He didn't ask them who they were; he asked them where they were. This is an interesting word and one that goes by us. He didn’t say, Who are you who don’t believe the name god gave you, you who still worry about impressing men,

Genesis 3:10-11 (KJV) And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. [11] And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

You are always in the sight of the Lord. Darkness is light to him. If you have no fear of God it is because you've killed him - he doesn't even exist for you.

Here it comes, what did not happen in Psalm 51, and doesn’t happen every day.

Genesis 3:10-12 (KJV) And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. [11] And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? [12] And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

Adam shifted the blame - he brought in confusion. “What you're saying to me now isn't very clear, Lord.” There is come confusion here. Some of you men and women don't get clean because you don't allow the Lord to absolve your guilt - because it's not clear. There are some extenuating circumstances the Lord doesn't know about.

How guilty is David? More thank you think.

He tries to get her husband to take responsibility for Bath-Sheba’s pregnancy. When plan A & B didn't work, he had plan C. The people thought, after Uriah died, that David was taking Uriah's wife into his home because she was pregnant, and to care for her. This was before David heard the prophetic word in Pastor Nathan.

Psalm 51:4 (KJV) Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

It wasn't my parents, my environments, or the pressure of life. Have you ever confessed? You can't, and that is good news. With confession, God's cleansing comes.

Psalm 51:1 (KJV) To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

People hide because they don't know God has made a covenant with them according to the tenderness and mercies (Haseed) of God. The female aspect of God is as a nurturer, but God The Father, chastens the ones he loves.

Adam hides and justifies himself in everything. After all, he was the king. Everything begins with David, in the light of God's Word; Nathan the prophetic word makes manifest the motives and intents of David's heart.

Psalm 51:6 (KJV) Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Psalm 51:10 (KJV) Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

If it's down to me, forget it. God is creating a clean heart in David; first of all by the law and judgment. Most people do not like Psalm 51:4. Most people, when the judgment of God speaks to them, they begin to put the Word, Jesus Christ, the prophetic testimony of Jesus Christ, the judge who judges all things, in the dock. They are never clear in their confession, but are filled with blame and confusion. "Yes, I'm wrong again." Their phony confession is grudgingly given. You are the wife of Christ and he does wash his wife every day. I am the wife of Christ so I need a good bath, a good washing every day.

Agreement with God includes the confession that God's judgment is just. You must also say, if you're going to get free of it, that his judgments are clear. Many of us give mere verbal consent to something. Usually it’s, "I would like to stop what's happening to me right now." You didn't confess. You never really agreed that it was you who sinned and not your wife, your father, your mother, the environment, etc. To justify yourself you seek to blame others and therefore you remain in your sins. Mere verbal ascent is not confession.

Have you ever heard anyone say, "I was wrong," and not just to get out from under it? At least the prodigal said, "I’ve sinned. I looked at things I shouldn't have looked at.” What does it matter to me that someone gets killed; that my neighbor stays dirty.

The natives found that fish didn't bite and babies weren't born. They saw a correlation to stealing God's pineapples and what was happening to them. You could say that the law of sowing and reaping is viewed as primitive in our culture and society. "We know better."

“Now I argue as the penitent and it gets people off my back.” I'm not trying to get you worked up into some sincere repentance. It begins with God - his tender mercies. Before judgment you can't see his tender mercies. God sends a Nathan to you and he's calling you to be a confessor, every day, all the time. Not just with your mouth, giving God lip service, but agreeing with God in your heart, you become a confessor. People who try to muddy up the waters never get clean. They are always blaming something else - some circumstance. God sees it all - our intents, motives, sacrifices, etc. If it's someone else's fault you're not knowing or believing the mercies of God. God can show up in your wife or husband. If he comes with the Word, how do you respond to that?

God loves truth in the inward being. What he doesn't like is our twisting things, and blaming, and allowing the fog of confusion when he brings a word to us. God’s mercy becomes the ground of David's prayer, not that he felt bad about his sin. This is not the ground for praying. Most of us don't feel bad about our sin, we feel bad about the consequences.

What if the prodigal son was trying to hide his hunger? What if there were a 420 pound woman here saying, "I'm not overweight - a little maybe?" "You're judging me. Did you have to say it in front of everyone?" When you judge things in front of everyone you're actually covering them. When your children weight 420 pounds, on some days, their teachers actually cover them when they bring it out in the open.

Confessing in agreement with God is prayer. We say, "God your words are clear."

Romans 8:13 (KJV) For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

You don't believe that, do you? The serpent says, "You surely won't die." To be cut off from God and your brothers and sisters is called death. I know it's easy to walk around in a whitewashed tomb, pretending, but this is not life.

Galatians 6:7-8 (KJV) Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. [8] For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

As the serpent beguiled the minds of Adam and Eve; “You shall not die but be as gods,” look out!

Where are you? If you heard this, how would you describe to someone where you're at? In what place? It's a relational term. You can't describe it except in relation to somewhere else. When God asked Adam where he was, he meant in relation to God's presence. Don, where are you today? What position are you in and what position have you taken? Have you taken a stand on a question? Where do you stand on total depravity? Where do you stand on Judgment? What is your position? Position is whatever place you go. How do you get directions? Adam, where are you? Remember Ruth:

Ruth 1:16-18 (KJV) And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: [17] Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. [18] When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

Where are you, is a vocational word. What voice are you hearing? Have you been placed in the house of God, Mt. Zion, where you can come boldly to the throne of grace. Are you honoring his Word today? Do you live and move and have your being in Him? Or are you in the earth realm? Has God broken down the wall of partition. Your sins separated you. Are you seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus far above all principalities and powers?

He calls you from darkness into His marvelous light. Has your mind gone back to idols - to ideas and thoughts and images of other people - the imagery of the mind is where adultery occurs according to Ezekiel. Fantasizing has consequences. Adultery is not limited to another person; it has to do with thoughts, your inner being. Is there a cleanness there? God delights in truth in the inner man. It's so easy to give God lip service; "I'm sorry this is unpleasant for me." Has God called you out of Egypt - darkness and slavery?

Where are you? Adam, where are you? There are many places you could live, be located, dwell. Are you in his dwelling place? God loves the tabernacles, the dwelling places of Jacob. God wants to dwell with you.

Cain went out from the presence of the Lord. Why? He didn't agree with God's judgment. "My punishment is too hard." God is in no hurry, but you can see it showing up in your children. It would be easy to question God's judgments. Or, you could say, I've sinned. God was Adam and Eve's parent. Get the heart of the matter. The important thing is:

Psalm 51:4 (KJV) Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Have you ever wandered in a wilderness; cut off from everyone, dwelling in a solitary place? "They're all judging me." You're going to live in judgment until you know that you crucified Christ; until this is no longer just a cliché to you.

The Word of God is the place to be. The righteous have a continual fest.

Psalm 26:8 (KJV) Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

If you don't come to the place where you see that God's judgment is just and clear, you'll continually be in court, in your mind, where you will be your own mediator; excusing yourself. The only thing you will be judging is God - you'll have God on trial.

Where you see his tender mercies of God, you say, "Judge me according to that." There will be no argument and you will become a confessor. Some of us have nothing to confess - they have no envy, perversion, rebellion, and hatred of authority. These things cut us off from God.

The Word of God is the prophet - the testimony of Jesus. Where there is any kind of sin there is judgment. God is not mocked. To be carnally minded is still death. If you hate your brother you are a murderer. If you even look at a woman to lust after her, you are an adulterer.

God desires truth in the inward parts, and he delights in truth in our inward being.

Psalm 26:8 (KJV) Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of the brethren; used them, spoke evil of them, etc., you’ve done it unto Him.

1 John 1:8 (KJV) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Can you imagine anyone in this room saying, "I have no sin?" What would you think?

We don't have any problem mouthing things from our mouth only. "I'm a wretched man, you know, forgive me."

The whole work of God is to make truth in your inner being; to conform you to the image of Jesus who calls himself the truth and the light. The darkness hates the light because the light reproves darkness; makes manifest all the hidden things of darkness. It translates the motives and intents of the heart.

Ephes. 4:15 (KJV) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Speaking truth means admitting our depravity. "I have sinned and it is clear when you judge me." "I'm the man." "I'm a candidate for baptism."

1 Samuel 2:3 (KJV) Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

God knows how to have a liar speak the truth. David was a complete liar for over a year. "I'll do what I want, think what I want, and take what I want. I'm the king here." "I don't need the Word of God to arbitrate my actions and motives and thoughts." "Now, you scum bag, get down to the battle so I can murder you." The heart of man is desperately wicked.

But God makes sinners just, if we could admit it and face the Lord in light of his mercies, in light of the covenant he's made with us. This is Good News, I'd say.

Have you ever seen anyone muddy up the waters when confronted with the truth? "What did you want me to do, desert my wife (Eve), so I joined up with her evil?” We can bring confusion. A lot of times when you try to confront people, they run to confusion and they lie. Therefore, they don't ever really get clean. One of the biggest problems people have is that they are never clean, things are never really resolved. They have mouth service, but don't really want to receive the mercies of God, the Gospel. It isn't just you. You've given place to some things that will begin to teach you in your mind that you are really not that bad. The lust of man thinks he owns himself.

Genesis 26:15 (KJV) For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.

The Word of God talks of those who are earthly, those that speak out of the earth, like Cain the tiller of soil. When the Word of God is coming out of the well-spring, do you throw dirt in it; do you bring in the balance of contention as the Philistines, the dirt rollers? Or do you make sure you keep everyone far away from you with your goodness or your conversation about nothing?

What did Jim Durkin get for his vision of the bakery in Eureka? The gospel was so hated, that rumors went around Eureka and other places that Jim was using the kinds to build a donut kingdom.

If it's in your power to do good; start a bakery, make a video or a CD, if it's really something the Lord has initiated and called you to do, you might be hated for it - accused. From time to time you have to tell people they are not needed.

The enemy steals from us joy, the promise that our joy would be complete because we love the brethren.

“Word of God, you're right. You're mediating truth, and not only that, you're absolutely clear.” "God, create in me a clean heart. I've tried so long, I give up."

Beware of the cover-up, the mud slinging, and a Philistine heart that throws dirt in the wells of your father as the Word is flowing out of them. The wisdom of the Philistines is earthly. Only by pride comes contention. They will try to control and do anything to evade the truth. They don't care if they don't use the wells, they will try to fill them up with dirt. There is a well-spring of life for us.

1 Samuel 15:19-21 (KJV) Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord? [20] And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. [21] But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.

The people had a good heart. Have you ever taken things to sacrifice unto the Lord? Murder happens when we're worshipping. Cain and Able are worshipping, bringing their sacrifice before the Lord. God saw the hatred and envy in Cain's heart and was not interested in some outward thing. Martha was doing many wonderful things, but she ended up angry at her sister. When the heart is divided it becomes evil. When you have two gods you're serving, yourself and Jesus, your heart it becomes evil. What prophet, what voice do you allow in your life?

What did the false prophet, Hannaniah, do that would cause him to die? He caused the people to trust in a lie. A lie is an idol, a vanity. Men that look at pornography are trusting in a lie. Not that all of us haven't done worse. Your lie might be that you're the only man in this church who has a higher standard. Look to your own heart, your morality, every day, and ask where you're at. Truth in the inward parts is what God delights in.

Rev. 22:15 (KJV) For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

People who construct lies make idols. Anyone who makes an idol becomes like his idol. Let no man deceive you; the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness (Romans 1). Your lie saves you from the wrath of God, you think. If I could just be contentious enough to shift the blame and muddy the waters; put a little Babylonian confusion in them…

In the time that kings go forth in to battle, David tarried. If you're a Christian, do you have the weapons of warfare that you are wielding?

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Ps 101:7 He that worketh deceit shall not swell in my house

Without a Nathan in my life, the Word of truth continually baptizing me, where would I be?

Till We All Have Faces, and we can't take our mask off until we see his mercies, till we allow the truth to confront us and confess, we have to be dragged to despairing of hope in ourselves that we could do something. We are brought to where we trust in his mercies. His mercies are so multitudinous that they are new every morning. The prophet calls us to a new place, a new position; to take a stand against ourselves so that God can be justified when he speaks. Jacob wrestled with the angel until he was asked "What is your name?" and he confessed that he was Jacob, a sneak and trickster, and then he was given a new name, Israel, prince with God and man.

David's confession was real because it was made in the face of the mercy of God; grounded in the merciful one that deals with him. God must first be judge (Elijah, the prophet) because if you won't have him as judge you can't have him as anything else. God leads us to confess our sin as the first step to justification.

The way God rules in the Church is through is the Word; through pastors, to be sure. Thy Word is truth. He puts truth in the inner heart. The truth is addressed to sinners and heard, and when it is heard it issues out of their mouth of the hearer. Our response is: "You're right. Your words are clear. All my numbness, defensiveness and fog he blew away. God wants truth in my inward parts.”

Our Nathan, our Jesus, the high priest and the prophet, comes to us. He may appoint you to be Nathan for your children. There is a certain man in this church, and I won't say who he is, has a gift of drawing his children out. If you got around it, it would rub off on you. I'm just passing along a truth that amazes me.

You're called to be a confessor. Now God becomes the questioner. You are no longer putting God in the dock; putting the Word of God on trial because you don't like the vessel it comes in. Because we know so much about one another we won't hear the Word of God in one another. I know nothing about you anymore. Something in you would like me to know something about you, but I don't.

Job 1:7 (KJV) And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

1 Peter 5:8 (KJV) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Genesis 4:12 (KJV) When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

Where are you? Accusing, wandering, and looking for whom you can devour? God forbid that this would be you.

God has given you a vocation, a calling.

Ephes. 4:25 (KJV) Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

When you observe lying vanities, you forsake the mercies of God. David forsook the mercies of God when he tarried at the time when kings should go to battle. The Lord, he is the man of war.

Where are you? Are you saying with David, "Against thee and thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and clear when thou judgest?"

Where would God bring you? The Good news is that you can come to his mercies today and receive the absolute forgiveness of every sin that you've confessed. If you have no sin, how can you be forgiven? We will all say that we sin, until someone says, "This is how."

This is Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. He's going to come as the Messiah. They will tear down branches and spread their garments before him as a mark that he was coming as a King.

Mark 11:1-14 (KJV) And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, [2] And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. [3] And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. [4] And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. [5] And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? [6] And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. [7] And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. [8] And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. [9] And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: [10] Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. [11] And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

[12] And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: [13] And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. [14] And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

God actually would have some of you apostolic women owners of vineyards. There are so many people standing around looking for work, you'd better make a video or something - put them to work.

Where the Lord has tress in the garden, they bear all manner of fruit in all season; planted by the river.

God has need of you to become impregnated, like Mary who sat on the donkey and carried the child, the Christ, within her womb. God wants to ride the colt of an ass which no man has ever ridden.

Mark 11:2 (KJV) And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.

This sounds like a new creature, a person who is called to be here; called to stand and answer God. This ass is no longer for your use or my use; no longer of any use to the world, the flesh and the devil. This man is “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest” in his body (2 Cor 4:10). He's so dumb, no institutions can use him. By God's grace I am now an ass for the Lord, no longer of any use to even myself. Beware, though, in times past you might have been a carrier of gossip, back-bighting, hating, envious and scornful, etc. You are now forgiven - a vessel for carrying the light of the Gospel; the light of the world. Be clean in the inner parts. He's made you very free. You are of use to no one, you're such a loser. Maybe some day you'll be called useless.

Who are these people that God can finally use to his glory?

Psalm 51:1-4 (KJV) To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. [2] Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. [3] For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. [4] Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

If you're going to be absolved, you can't have any "yes, but." Now that somebody untied you, loosed you and let you go, you have a passenger called the Word of God; you're a vessel, a living epistle. .

Psalm 51:5-17 (KJV) Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. [6] Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt 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 to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. [9] Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. [10] Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. [11] Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. [12] Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. [13] Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. [14] Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. [15] O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. [16] For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. [17] The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

O Happy Fault!

I'm not making light of sin. You still have heart and flesh that fail you, but you also have the fount of His Blood. You have his mercies that are new every morning. He said, "Forgive them," and "It is done."

I'm only talking to people who are potential ____, well I'll say donkeys for the Lord.

Psalm 51:10 (KJV) Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

The only basis of your confession is knowing the blood has been poured out for you, and because you have a high priest you can come like Bob Mumford's little girl, come boldly into his presence with your dirty diaper.

He will block out your transgressions and wash you thoroughly from your iniquity and sin, if you have any. Some of us don't have our sin ever before us. We want to blame others. We want God to be justified in the minds of men.

Psalm 51:13-17 (KJV) Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. [14] Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. [15] O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. [16] For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. [17] The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Contrition is not the initial confession. Contrition isn't even repentance. Repentance is that you agree with every word God is saying. The reason your life is messed up is because you haven't agreed with God. Go to the Lord's tender mercies and say, "Forgive me."

After I have come to the ever continuing sacrifice of his son, the blood of Jesus Christ, our Beloved Lord, Deliverer, Savior, I can come boldly to the throne of grace. The covenant has been made for you and your children.

The Lord has need of thee! So be it, according to they will, O Lord!