Lesson 5 “When You’ve Blown It Big Time”

Finding God When You Need Him Most  Each lesson addresses a need common to us all  Each lesson is viewed in the light of a specific Psalm.

Psalm 51 1 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness ; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. 4 Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

Psalm 51 6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. 7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean ; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Psalm Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation ; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. 16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit ;

Psalm 51 A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. 18 By Your favor do good to Zion ; Build the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, In burnt offering and whole burnt offering ; Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.

What one thing do we all have in common? Everyone has experienced it. No one is exempt. It happens daily, over and over again. Yet, with God, failure never has to be final!

God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally!God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally! King David’s Seven Step Program

God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally!God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally! 7 Steps Step One – Come Clean vs. 1-4 We often fail at step one for: 1. Fear of losing our reputation 2. Fear of losing our favorite sin. 3. Fear of losing our security. The “Alternative” 3 “When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer.” Psalm 32:3,4

God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally!God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally! 7 Steps Step Two – Ask for forgiveness vs. 1 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally!God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally! 7 Steps Step Three – Accept responsibility vs. 2-4 My transgressions – vs. 1 My iniquity – vs. 2 My sin – vs. 2 Against you and you only… vs. 4

God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally!God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally! 7 Steps Step Four – Accept God’s forgiveness on God’s terms. vs. 7 “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” When I refuse to forgive myself, after God has forgiven me I put myself in His place – at the center of the universe!

God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally!God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally! 7 Steps Step Five – Request a fresh work of God’s Grace vs “ 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. A clean heart is no less a miracle than the creation of our earth and universe.

God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally!God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally! 7 Steps Step Six – Resolve to use past failure for future ministry. vs. 13 David’s prayer of verse 13; “I will teach transgressors your ways” is being answered right now! What God did for David reveals both His intent and His character. No failure is permanent unless chosen to be so.

God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally!God is Our Refuge. 1. He will personally be your place of safety He will personally be your source of strength. In his wisdom He provides internally and externally! 7 Steps Step Seven – Pray for limited fallout. vs. 18,19 Sin’s impact is never singular; it’s like tossing a stone into a still lake.

These lessons are based on a Biblical study of the book Finding God When You Need Him Most By Chip Ingram