I was honored to have a Bible study with some of my fellow brothers last night over the phone. At many times, we as brothers struggle with secret sin. Because of this, our sin nature often blinds our thoughts and understanding, leading to our spiritual perception being off. This often leads to shame, discouragement and a sense of failure. Just another trick of the enemy to fool us into thinking that we are unable to go to the throne of grace and to ask God to grant us repentance. We can't eradicate our sin nature on our own, but we can rely on Holy Spirit to control us so that we do not give in to temptation. David was a man after God's own heart. Unfortunately he succumbed to his flesh and sinned against God by sleeping with another man's wife, then taking that woman as his own wife. David then impregnated her, and had her husband killed on the front lines of battle to "cover" his sin up. His good friend Nathan rebuked him for this sin, and David went to God in prayer because he knew his heart needed to be cleansed. This prayer is recorded as Psalm 51. I encourage you who are still going through to read this passage of scripture and hide it in your heart. God bless. P.

1 Have mercy on me,O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy 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, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.


5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.


6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.


7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.


8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that 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 right spirit within me.


11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.


12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.


13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.


14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.


15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.


16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.


17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.


18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem;


19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar. (ESV)