“I am not a crook!” “I did not have sex with that woman!” Two bold statements by former presidents of the United States. Isn’t it true that everyone lies? Well, it depends on how you define and understand what a lie is. We play with words and redefine words like ‘crook’ and ‘sex.’ We all know that the big, blatant, in your face and premeditated falsehood is a lie. But how about those ‘little white lies?’ Do we lie when we know the truth and keep silent? Or when we do things to give a better (and misleading) impression than is really true?

Unfortunately, it seems to be me that lying has become the new normal and is pretty much excused because ‘everybody does it.’ Lying is knowingly attempting to deceive. Can you tell an untruth and not be lying? Absolutely! We do it all the time right here at SUMC! It is called miscommunication. We pass on information believing it to be true, but then finding out that it is not true. Is that lying? No, because the intent was not to deceive. You honestly thought the all-church skate began at 7pm but in fact it began at 6pm, and four families arrived late because of your mistake. You were wrong, but you did not lie. You apologize and vow in the future to make sure you know what you are talking about before you open your mouth again!

Lying is so important that God included it in his Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” This commandment flows out of God’s nature and character. The greatest deception is not against one’s neighbor. The greatest deception is attempting to deceive God. When you think about it this is absolutely laughable that we should attempt to deceive God—because He knows it anyway!

If we are going to experience true revival and not just a short-lived emotional experience, we must follow-up our humility before God with being honest with God: honest about ourselves--our sins, our priorities, our lifestyles, our needs, and our brokenness.

We are going to look at a man who chose a path of deception about his sin. Born in Bethlehem his name is a household name among both Jews and Christians. He tended sheep and slew the giant Goliath. Known as “a man after God’s own heart” he became king of Israel and led God’s people into the greatest time of peace and prosperity they have ever known. In 2 Samuel 11 we read the story of David’s sin with Bathsheba that led to more sin, treachery, and deception. One night David took a stroll on the roof of his palace. Nearby he noticed Bathsheba bathing, and she was fine looking! He immediately fell in love with her and had her brought into his candlelit boudoir where they sipped on French champagne, making love by the fireplace while a Hollywood orchestra played softly in the background! How beautiful is true love!!!! (LOL) Actually David succumbed to his lust and today would be charged with rape. To make matters worse in order to cover up his sin, David brought Bathsheba’s husband home from battle for a night of romance with his wife so that any child conceived would be assumed to be Uriah’s and not David’s. When Uriah, out of loyalty to David, refused to indulge while his comrades were at war, David ordered his general to make sure Uriah was in a battle position where he would be killed. He was, and David could now “legitimately” marry Bathsheba without committing adultery. The deception worked wonderfully and cleanly and all was well in the palace. But somehow David forgot that God is not deceived and God sent Nathan, the prophet, to David’s house to confront him of his sin. David’s words of confession and repentance are found in Psalm 51.

It is Psalm 32, David’s psalm of forgiveness, that we are going to look at this morning. As David comes clean before God we see the incredible blessings of being honest before God.

1. The first blessing for the person who gets real honest with God about their sin is that honesty brings the blessing of full forgiveness (verses 1-2). David uses 3 words to describe God’s forgiveness:

A. His sins are forgiven: literally this means “to take away, clear away, carry away.”

B. His sins are covered: this means “to completely conceal.” Just as the blood of the lamb covered the Hebrews from God’s judgment in Egypt, so too the person who by faith applies the cross of Jesus is covered by the blood the Christ.

C. His sins are not imputed to his account: this means that his sins were not “charged to his account” any longer. Our sins are charged to our account, but when we get honest with God and receive His forgiveness, God ‘credits’ our account and He removes them because there were paid by Jesus!

This doesn’t happen however if we are not honest with God and if we continue our deceptive ways. The charge of sin will always be on our bill until the Day of Judgment. David experienced first hand God’s forgiveness and he says “blessed” is the person ‘whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are forgiven.’ It is all dependant upon our honesty with God.

2. Honesty also brings the blessing of decreased deceit. We see this is verse 2 when David said that this ‘blessedness’ is the person ‘in whose spirit is no deceit.’ Look how deceit grew in David’s life after his sin with Bathsheba.

• He deceived himself: “What I am doing is okay. I can do this and get away with it!”

• He deceived Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, by not being honest about his sin of adultery.

• David deceived his people, pretending to be better than he was.

• He deceived God (or tried to) by covering his sin.

The reward or blessing of being honest about our sin is that we defeat the spirit of deception in our lives. The more we are honest the more integrity takes hold in our lives and we become known as a person of integrity rather than a liar.

3. Honesty also brings the blessing of removed conviction (verses 3-5). In this Psalm David explains the deep pain that came as a result of his dishonesty. Conviction is the spiritual pain that results when we sin. Notice what happens when we are guilty but unwilling to be honest with God about our sin.

Physical deterioration. Look at verse 3—“My bones wasted away.” “My strength was sapped.” Unresolved and unforgiven guilt can lead to serious physical ailments and dis-ease if not dealt with. Several years ago, Dr. S. I. McMillan wrote a book entitled, None of these Diseases, that discusses the close correlation between spiritual dis-ease and diseases of the body.

David also complained about emotional deterioration. He groaned all day long (verse 3). This man couldn’t sleep. He had no peace, no contentment, no security, and no joy. Guilt affects our emotional state and the guilty person cane experience depression, anger, pessimism, extreme sensitivity, undue strong reactions, and panic attacks. Have there been times when you came clean before God or someone else and it felt like a huge weight lifted from your shoulders? There comes a great emotional release from honesty and transparency and forgiveness.

Spiritual deterioration is another result of guilt. There was heaviness in his spirit day and night. When we are not living right, God makes us restless. There is no calm, but agitation in our spirits. God’s disturbance leads us to hear His voice, to come to our senses and lead us to repentance. Charles Spurgeon once said, “God’s hand is very helpful when it uplifts, but it is awful when it presses down.” When God’s hand presses down on us, how often do we blame Him rather than blaming ourselves?

There is a price to sin and its accompanying guilt as it affects body, mind and spirit. Maybe that is why the greatest commandment is this: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and strength.”

4. Honesty brings the blessing of intimate counsel (verses 8-9). Look at God’s response to David’s honesty. God says to him, “I will instruct and teach you….” “I will counsel and watch over you.” This is God’s promise for the person who get real and gets honest with God. David implores us in verse 9 not to be like the horse or mule that must be controlled by a bridle or whip. God doesn’t operate that way in our lives. He never forces us to do anything we are not willing to do. God can’t use an unwilling participant. Have you ever looked into the eyes of a guilty child? Hard, isn’t it—because they won’t look at you. Their guilt makes them look away. In the same way guilt causes us to look away from the eyes of God. Someone once said, “The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.” It seems to me that the same can be said for worship as well. AS kids when we are guilty there is a natural tendancy that we don’t want to go home and have to “face the music!” It’s only as we are honest with God and admit our guilt and need that we can enter into that intimate cousel, instruction, and watchcare of our heavenly Father.

5. So, how do we go about getting honest with God? Honesty is developed by full acknowledgment and confession (verse 5). In verse 5 David uses 8 personal pronouns. Here’s the equation of honesty: I confess = God forgives. In 1 John 1:9 God promises forgiveness IF we will confess our sins. This IF is critical and is the fulcrum upon which our salvation hinges. Which side is it tipping in your life? If you want the blessings of forgiveness, of decreased deceit, of removed conviction, and of intimate counsel with God, you must exercise transparent honesty.

Are you playing games or are you being honest with God and with yourself?

Thank You for Taking The Time to Read This Message.
May God Use These Words to Help You and Strengthen You.