10/22 Sermon on David, Part 6

Last Sunday at The Family Church here in Gainesville, senior pastor Philip Griffin continued his series about David, King of Israel.  The focus for discussion was repentance, both as it applied to David and to us as we overcome our own transgressions.  The primary scripture reference was Psalm 51: 1-13...you can read it by clicking on the following link to Bible Gateway: [link]...

In his message Pastor Philip identified five areas of importance as they pertain to the process of repentance, which is the turning away from sin in favor of righteousness: God wants us to move past our mistakes, admit our guilt, use our brokenness to grow ourselves, leave our old ways behind, and turn our repentance into ministry to others.  Identifying and admitting guilt is obviously necessary in order to purposefully change behavior, brokenness leads to dependency on God's empowering through the Holy Spirit to enable that change, dispensing with the old ways...as Philip pointed out...through actual behavior and not just rationalizing.  And when this is accomplished, true repentance can serve as a positive, encouraging example for others to follow...

The scripture refers to the sin David committed against God by taking Bathsheba from her husband and then sending him to his death. His confession, brokenness, and repentance of this sin, from what we know, was final and without any backtracking.  In our own lives, though, repentance can be more of a process of listening to God's direction, progressing, then slipping, being convicted, and turning again in the right direction.  Bad ways can be bad habits, but God can change anything for his own purposes in those of his people who trust in him...

You can view Pastor Philip's message via the church's YouTube video site...here's a link to it: [link].  The Family Church is at 2022 SW 122nd Street, on the western outskirts of Gainesville, and holds its Sunday morning services at 9:30 and 11.  Coffee, sermon, praise music, coffee, friendly folks, prayer, coffee...sounds like a good thing to me...