Experience the Relief of Forgiveness (Ps 32:1-11)

Do you ever find it difficult to forgive other people, or to forgive yourself for something you have done? The key to forgiveness is knowing how much God has forgiven you. Forgiven people forgive.

As C.S.Lewis pointed out, ‘To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.’ As far as forgiving ourselves is concerned, he wrote, ‘If God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than him.’

Through Jesus, God has made total forgiveness available to us. In this psalm, we see the huge difference that God’s forgiveness makes.

1. Release from the hand of judgment. David describes the spiritual agony of not being forgiven: ‘My bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.’ (Ps 32:3–4).
2. Transparency with God. The route to forgiveness is simply to come to the Lord with no mask or pretence: ‘Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord” – and you forgave the guilt of my sin.’ (v.5).
3. A fresh start. David describes the enormous blessing of knowing you are forgiven: ‘Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit’ (vv.1–2).

​Consult the Lord in Everything

Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the LORD. (‭Joshua‬ ‭9‬:‭14‬ NKJV)

In the above Scripture, and once you read further, you will discover that Joshua and all Israel made a mistake in not asking God for counsel. Joshua acted upon emotion and logic. Therefore the outcome was that some of the people whom the Lord had instructed to be removed from the land remained. Never make decisions - 
A) based solely on emotions
B) based solely on human logic 
C) as a result of fear or panic 

Never allow yourself to be pressurised to make a decision, nor make sudden off-the-cuff choices without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Lord may not answer immediately, but wait upon Him until He does. And remember, His peace will always accompany the correct choice.

Israel

‘The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me.' (‭Leviticus‬ ‭25‬:‭23‬ NKJV)

This is what the nations of the world do not understand. It is not just 'Israel the people' that belong to God, but 'Israel the land' as well. It is not the place of Israel to release the land nor the place of any nation to demand that they release it. That real estate is God's and it's not for sale. 

Every other nation of the world, whether they call themselves an enemy or a friend, need to realise this, for God blesses those who bless Israel and He curses those who curse it. 

Worship

But I am poor and sorrowful; Let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high. I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bull, Which has horns and hooves. The humble shall see this and be glad; And you who seek God, your hearts shall live. (‭Psalm‬ ‭69‬:‭29-32‬ NKJV)

Let heaven and earth praise Him, The seas and everything that moves in them. (‭Psalms‬ ‭69‬:‭34‬ NKJV)

1. Worship is an act of the will: "...And I will magnify Him..."
2. Worship pleases God: "This also shall please the Lord..."
3. Worship involves others: "THe humble shall see this and be glad..."
4. Our worship joins with the heavenly worship that is ongoing, "Let heaven and earth praise Him..."
5. Worship lifts you up when you are feeling down, "But I am poor and sorrowful..."

Did you know that the Bible is a 'noisy' book. Shout aloud, clap your hands, Jesus cried out, the people groaned aloud, on the day of Pentecost they heard the disciples praising, and so on? You go and do likewise.

​Receiving Heaven's Blessings

“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God." (‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭28‬:‭1-2‬ NKJV)

There is a big difference between people who are willing to obey God daily and those who are willing to obey Him only in order to get out of trouble. God certainly shows people how to get out of trouble, but He showers blessings on those who decide to live wholeheartedly for Him and make obedience to Him their lifestyle.

He is able to help you

I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps… (Psalm 40:1-8 NKJV)

David, in this psalm, says that he was in a pit and the Lord delivered him and set his feet on a rock. You may be in a pit too. This pit could be depression, addiction, fear, loneliness, sickness or something else. The secret in David's deliverance was:

1. He waited patiently for The Lord;
   
2. He put his trust in the Lord;
   
3. He decided to obey the Lord.
   
4. He brought to remembrance past blessings from The Lord 
   

Even as you, like David, choose to do the same, deliverance will come to you from the Lord.