King David was no stranger to sin. From lust to adultery to murder, David carried a lot of guilt. Yet he was still called by God, a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22).
Believer, are you a man (or woman) after God’s own heart? It is not about our sin, it is about our spirit. In his psalms, David lamented the sin that beset him and praised God for His forgiveness. He wrote, “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit!” (Psalm. 32:1-2)
And truly so! How blessed are we whose transgressions are forgiven, having been covered by the blood of Christ!
And notice, this change, this attitude, is from within: the person “in whose spirit there is no deceit.” This change comes at the hand of God. As He spoke through Ezekiel, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you” (Ezek. 36:26).
This has been done for us as part and parcel of our salvation. Yet we still struggle, we still stumble. Therefore, let us also with David cry out to our Lord, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm. 51:10).
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Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions
Morning, October 31
"Renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10
A backslider, if there be a spark of life left in him will groan after restoration. In this renewal the same exercise of grace is required as at our conversion. We needed repentance then; we certainly need it now. We wanted faith that we might come to Christ at first; only the like grace can bring us to Jesus now. We wanted a word from the Most High, a word from the lip of the loving One, to end our fears then; we shall soon discover, when under a sense of present sin, that we need it now. No man can be renewed without as real and true a manifestation of the Holy Spirit's energy as he felt at first, because the work is as great, and flesh and blood are as much in the way now as ever they were. Let thy personal weakness, O Christian, be an argument to make thee pray earnestly to thy God for help. Remember, David when he felt himself to be powerless, did not fold his arms or close his lips, but he hastened to the mercy-seat with "renew a right spirit within me." Let not the doctrine that you, unaided, can do nothing, make you sleep; but let it be a goad in your side to drive you with an awful earnestness to Israel's strong Helper. O that you may have grace to plead with God, as though you pleaded for your very life- "Lord, renew a right spirit within me." He who sincerely prays to God to do this, will prove his honesty by using the means through which God works. Be much in prayer; live much upon the Word of God; kill the lusts which have driven your Lord from you; be careful to watch over the future uprisings of sin. The Lord has His own appointed ways; sit by the wayside and you will be ready when He passes by. Continue in all those blessed ordinances which will foster and nourish your dying graces; and, knowing that all the power must proceed from Him, cease not to cry, "Renew a right spirit within me."
Believer, are you a man (or woman) after God’s own heart? It is not about our sin, it is about our spirit. In his psalms, David lamented the sin that beset him and praised God for His forgiveness. He wrote, “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit!” (Psalm. 32:1-2)
And truly so! How blessed are we whose transgressions are forgiven, having been covered by the blood of Christ!
And notice, this change, this attitude, is from within: the person “in whose spirit there is no deceit.” This change comes at the hand of God. As He spoke through Ezekiel, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you” (Ezek. 36:26).
This has been done for us as part and parcel of our salvation. Yet we still struggle, we still stumble. Therefore, let us also with David cry out to our Lord, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm. 51:10).
——————
Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions
Morning, October 31
"Renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10
A backslider, if there be a spark of life left in him will groan after restoration. In this renewal the same exercise of grace is required as at our conversion. We needed repentance then; we certainly need it now. We wanted faith that we might come to Christ at first; only the like grace can bring us to Jesus now. We wanted a word from the Most High, a word from the lip of the loving One, to end our fears then; we shall soon discover, when under a sense of present sin, that we need it now. No man can be renewed without as real and true a manifestation of the Holy Spirit's energy as he felt at first, because the work is as great, and flesh and blood are as much in the way now as ever they were. Let thy personal weakness, O Christian, be an argument to make thee pray earnestly to thy God for help. Remember, David when he felt himself to be powerless, did not fold his arms or close his lips, but he hastened to the mercy-seat with "renew a right spirit within me." Let not the doctrine that you, unaided, can do nothing, make you sleep; but let it be a goad in your side to drive you with an awful earnestness to Israel's strong Helper. O that you may have grace to plead with God, as though you pleaded for your very life- "Lord, renew a right spirit within me." He who sincerely prays to God to do this, will prove his honesty by using the means through which God works. Be much in prayer; live much upon the Word of God; kill the lusts which have driven your Lord from you; be careful to watch over the future uprisings of sin. The Lord has His own appointed ways; sit by the wayside and you will be ready when He passes by. Continue in all those blessed ordinances which will foster and nourish your dying graces; and, knowing that all the power must proceed from Him, cease not to cry, "Renew a right spirit within me."
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