It's Time To Draw Closer

It's Time To Draw Closer

Psalm 51:7-12

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me - now let me rejoice. Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. 

Intro:

Matthew 22:37-38   Jesus replied, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment. 

• Drawing Closer, It's Time to Deal With Sin
  • • Psalm 51:1-4   Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.
    • Psalm 139:23-24   Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. 
    • Psalm 51:17   The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. 
• Drawing Closer, It's Time to Get Clean
  • • Psalm 51:7   Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 
    • John 8:10-11   Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, "Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?" "No, Lord," she said. And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more."
    • James 4:8-10   Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. 
    • Colossians 3:5, 8   So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behaviour, slander, and dirty language. 
• Drawing Closer, It's Time to Get Back in the Presence
  • • Psalm 51:10-11   Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. 
    • Revelation 2:4-5   But I have this complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don't repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. 
    • Acts 3:19-20   Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. 
• Drawing Closer, It's Time to Get Your Joy Back
  • • Psalm 51:12   Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. 
    • Colossians 1:10-11   Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strenthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy.