"Fear God, Love God, Serve God": PR"I"DE

King David's repentance after sinning with Bathsheba

"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."

(2 Samuel 12:13)

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me,

and I shall be whiter than snow."

(Psalm 51:7)

King David told us all about it; he was mighty, a man after God's own heart, a deep soul, but he sinned. He saw Bathsheba bathing on the rooftop and he sent for her and took her. Then, when she was pregnant, he sent for her husband, Uriah, who was on the battlefield, and David assumed Uriah would go in unto his wife and the problem would be solved; he would think it was his child Bathsheba was carrying. But, David didn't count on Uriah being a noble, just and heroic man; Uriah would not go in unto his wife and enjoy pleasure, when his fellow soldiers were out there fighting and dying. So, David sent Uriah back to the battlefront with a note to the man in charge, and the note instructed him to put Uriah on the front line of the battle so he would be killed ... and he "was" killed. David thought he was home free until Nathan, the Prophet, showed up and in "the way of the Prophet" told him his sin. All this came upon David, because of "PRIDE." Pride is "having an inordinate opinion of one's own dignity or importance." It's the sin that brought satan, or Lucifer, down; it's the sin that brings divorce; it's the sin often of people in high places of position or authority; it's the sin that can get all of us and bring destruction and it's called ... pr"I"de.

"Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is

evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you

speak and justified when you judge."

(Psalm 51:4)

King David, however, had a repentant heart, and he realized his sin was against his God. Psalm 51 was written after his sin with Bathsheba. But, sin always brings forth death in some manner or form, and his child born of Bathsheba died. Sin made its circle of completion and the "we reap what we sow" came home to roost. After the child died, David cast off his sackcloth and ashes and went into the house of God and worshipped. What? David, indeed, had a heart after God; he realized his sin; he repented of his sin; he mourned and would not eat many days while the child lay dying; but when it was over; he returned to the God of his soul, the God who is "Just" in all matters, the God in whom he had all trust, and he worshipped ...

It's two little words that could change the world! Husbands and wives, kids and parents, bosses and employees, nation to nation, congregations and pastors, and creation to its Creator ... "I'm Sorry!" What stops it? It's that thing that we must all conquer; it lurks in humans from birth until it meets the Creator. It's pride ... Pride ... PRIDE ... pr"I"de! Nobody wants to admit they're wrong; nobody wants to humble himself to another person; nobody wants to give up that thing called "pride." But, guess what? Love IS having to say, "I'm sorry," and saying it, and saying it, and saying it ... over and over until WE all get it right. Many divorces could be stopped if one or both would take the first step and say it. You say, "But, it wasn't MY fault; why should I say it?" Why not? Is it worth losing everything for the cause of pride? Sometimes, we can't stop a divorce if the other person refuses to stay, no matter what you say, and in cases of abuse, we have to make difficult choices in life. But, many relationships could be saved with those two little words.

"He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever

confesses and renounces them finds mercy."

(Proverbs 28:13)

"Grace" is a beautiful word; we are in the time of Grace, and because the Lord Jesus Christ took our sins upon Himself, shed His precious blood, and gave His torn pierced body for the sins of all mankind, we have only to accept this "Amazing Grace," and ask Him to forgive us of our sins. He will and He does every time, and His only condition is "turn and walk the other way" in the path of righteousness, and sin no more. Ah, it's beautiful; is it not? To be forgiven is the most joyous occasion of one's life; to have the heavy burdensome weight of sin lifted from us and we feel FREE; it's so heavenly, so awesome, so wonderful, and if you're not one who smiles, You will! The Lord will put a smile on your face, a skip in your walk, a tongue in your speech, His name in your baptism, a song in grumbling, a beauty in your spirit, a love in your heart, and hey, it doesn't stop there; it goes on and on and on ... Because He's God and He will create newness in you every day ... if you let Him.

"Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and

forgives the transgression of the remnant of

his inheritance? You do not stay angry

forever but delight to show mercy."

(Micah 7:18)

Get rid of it! What? That thing that's killing you and everyone around you; that hatred, that ego, that "I will not give in" attitude, that thing that will destroy you, that thing that sent satan spiraling downward like a lightning strike from the gates of heaven, that thing that robs you of peace and joy, that thing called pr"I"de.

"As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed

our transgressions from us."

(Psalm 103:12)